Columbus Blue Jackets mark comeback to beat Edmonton Oilers 4-2 – NHL Update
After falling behind by two goals, Columbus Blue Jackets initiated an aggressive outburst in the final two periods to beat Edmonton Oilers, 4-2, in the National Hockey League (NHL) game on Tuesday, January 17, 2012, at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio,
United States.
Derek MacKenzie, assisted by Colton Gillies, scored in the third period to put the Blue Jackets in lead. Ryan Johansen, Derick Brassard and Derek Dorsett also scored a goal each.
Gillies held the puck from his zone and skated forward. The defenders interrupted him, but Gillies handsomely slashed the puck on to the boards and collected the rebound after beating his marker.
He sent the puck to MacKenzie, who had reached the zone after piercing his way towards the net and just needed to flick the puck into the net.
"It feels great", said Gillies.
"I was out there for a goal right off the start and I was, like, 'Oh, this is going to be a long night.' But we all turned it around. Everyone was sticking up for each other out there. It's good to see”.
Oilers’ coach, Tom Renney, while commenting on the game, stated that it was disappointing to see his team giving away a two-goal lead.
"I thought we came a little unglued in the second period -- gave them a chance to feel good about themselves and them coming after us. We tried to push through in the third to try to get ourselves an equaliser ... but just couldn't muster up enough to push
through and get the offence we needed".
Oilers grabbed the control over the game in the first period, but surrendered later.
Anton Lander gave Edmonton a lead at 7:01.
After receiving the puck, he skated towards the net, cut his way from right to left, beat Blues' goalie, Curtis Sanford, and tipped the puck in for the first goal of the game.
The lead was doubled within a couple of minutes.
At 8:50, Ben Eager, who was waiting near the opponent’s goal, received the puck from Jeff Petry and tipped it into the net.
The Blue Jackets began progressing in the second period.
Ryan Johansen collected a pass from Antoine Vermette and fired the puck into the net at 2:37, reducing the deficit to only one goal.
With nearly a minute left in the period, Oilers’ Theo Peckham was sent off for two minutes, leaving his team short-handed.
During the power-play, a shot by Derick Brassard, supported slightly by the fault of Oilers’ goalie, Devan Dubnyk, provide the equaliser to Blue Jackets.
MacKenzie scored early in the third period to get the lead, which was increased later at 19:38 by Derek Dorsett’s power-play goal.
Oilers, who had just snapped their five-game losing streak a game earlier, are now going to face St. Louis Blues on Thursday, while Blue Jackets will play against Nashville Predators on the same day.
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