The Columbus Blue Jackets just pulled off another absolute nail-biter, rallying past the Dallas Stars 2-1 in a shootout Thursday night for their third straight home victory. What’s wild is that these guys are now a ridiculous 5-0 in games that go past regulation, just refusing to lose when the clock runs out.
Shootout Kings: Johnson and Nichushkin Own the Ice
When it came down to the shootout, the Blue Jackets showed exactly why they are perfect after regulation. Valeri Nichushkin kicked things off for Columbus, sniping a sick backhand shot as their second shooter to put them ahead. Then came Kent Johnson. This guy is a straight-up wizard in these situations. He went between the legs of Dallas goalie Casey DeSmith, sealing the deal and securing the win. That’s his second game-deciding shootout score this season, man. The dude just has ice in his veins.
Talbot Locks It Down, Johnson Stays Hot
Before the shootout drama, Zach Werenski put one in for Columbus in regulation to get them on the board. And guess who got the assist? Yep, Johnson. That helper pushed his point streak to six games, and he is now leading the team with 14 points. Unbelievable start for him. Between the pipes, Cam Talbot was a brick wall, stopping 27 shots. That’s his fourth straight win, and it was his 27th career shootout victory. Talk about clutch! Dallas definitely tried to ruin the party, with Mikko Rantanen finally breaking through for them at 6:27 in the third period. Their goalie, Casey DeSmith, played tough too, stopping 29 shots. They even thought they had a goal at the end of the second, but the puck didn’t completely cross the line. This loss actually snapped the Stars’ two-game winning streak, so it had to sting for them.
These Blue Jackets are playing with some serious grit right now, especially when it comes down to the wire. With Johnson cooking like this and Talbot locking it down, this team is showing some serious fight. What a game!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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