Rookie Lilja helps his case to stay with two goals

ST. LOUIS — Jakob Lilja’s skill in the low slot on Sunday might’ve extended his stay in training camp.

Lilja, a 26-year-old rookie forward from Limhamn, Sweden, scored two beautiful goals from that spot on the ice in the Jackets’ 5-3 loss to the St. Louis Blues at Enterprise Center.

The first gave Columbus a 1-0 lead 12:29 into the game, off a great pass by Marko Dano.

The second put the Jackets up 2-1 at 1:48 of the second off a similar feed by Brandon Dubinsky.

“He’s certainly comfortable in the slot with the puck,” said Blue Jackets assistant coach Brad Shaw, who ran the bench. “Those were two good shots. We’re still trying to evaluate some of these guys, but when you can put a couple in the net like that, you open people’s eyes. So, it’s a good afternoon for him.”

Lilja had a breakout year with Djurgarden in the Swedish Hockey League last season, skating on the top line and finishing with 12 goals and 25 assists in 52 games. This is his first experience playing in North America, and it has been an adjustment to a smaller rink against NHL players.

He’s getting more comfortable with it, though, and picked a good time to score a couple of goals.

“You like to see guys step up when they know it’s on the line, and he came through with a good game,” Shaw said. “So, you know, credit to him, and it allows him to maybe get another look down the line here.”

The Jackets are down to 34 players after three more were removed Sunday.

Goalie prospect Matiss Kivlenieks, 23, was assigned to the Cleveland Monsters, while veteran American Hockey League goalie Brad Thiessen, 33, is expected to report to Cleveland after being released from his professional tryout contract.

Thiessen is expected to have a player/ coach role with the Monsters, who also got center Paul Bittner — who cleared waivers Sunday — and are expected to get defenseman Dillon Simpson if he clears waivers Monday.

The Blue Jackets announced in a statement this weekend that Martin St. Louis will not return as a specialteams consultant, a role he filled midway through last season. St. Louis wants to devote more time to coaching his three sons, who play hockey at various levels. … Jared Boll, the Jackets’ assistant development coach, got his first experience as an assistant coach on the bench Sunday. “He’s just getting his feet wet in coaching,” Shaw said. “He’s got a lot of energy and he’s going to help us on the development side, but it was a good chance for him to get on the bench.”