By Canadian Press

Johnson scores twice in the third as Blue Jackets ground Jets 4-1

Dec 8, 2024 | 7:07 PM

WINNIPEG — Kent Johnson scored a pair of third-period goals to help the Columbus Blue Jackets snap a three-game losing skid with a 4-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday.

Dmitri Voronkov and Sean Kuraly, into an empty net, also scored for Columbus (12-12-3). James van Riemsdyk had a pair of assists.

Elvis Merzlikins made 24 saves for the Blue Jackets, which ended a five-game road trip going 2-3-0.

Kyle Connor scored for the Jets (20-9-0), who had a two-game win streak halted in front of 13,887 fans at Canada Life Centre.

Eric Comrie stopped 24 shots for Winnipeg, which played in Chicago Saturday afternoon.

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The Jets didn’t get their first shot on goal until a power play five minutes into the game, and were outshot 12-6 by the visitors.

Connor scored his team-leading 15th goal of the season on Winnipeg’s fourth power play of the game when his shot from the right circle went over Merezlikins’ left pad at 11:51 of second period.

Connor has two goals and two assists in his past three games. Mark Scheifele picked up an assist, extending his point streak to four games with a pair of goals and three helpers.

Columbus had its second power play shortly after Connor’s goal and didn’t waste it.

Voronkov made it 1-1 went he banged in the puck that had bounced off the post at 13:53.

Johnson gave the Blue Jackets the lead off a rebound at 7:15 of the third and added his eighth goal of the season at 9:42.

Kuraly sent the puck into the empty net with 1:22 remaining.

TAKEAWAYS

Jets: Winnipeg was guilty of over-passing in the first period, something head coach Scott Arniel criticized during the team’s recent four-game losing skid.

Blue Jackets: Columbus was ranked 29th in the league on the penalty kill heading into the game. They took four penalties, but held the Jets to two shots until Winnipeg scored on their fourth man advantage.

KEY MOMENT

Comrie denied a great scoring opportunity by Columbus when he whipped out his left glove and snagged the puck off a one-timer from the slot by former Jet Sean Monahan seven minutes into the third. But 23 seconds later, Johnson put a rebound from a Monahan shot into the net to go up 2-1.

Johnson added his second goal with a one-timer just to the right of the slot.

KEY STAT

Johnson tallied his seventh and eighth goals of the season less than 2 1/2 minutes apart.

UP NEXT

Blue Jackets: Host the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday.

Jets: Play the second game of a four-game homestand on Tuesday against the Boston Bruins.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 8, 2024.

Judy Owen, The Canadian Press

<!– Photo: 0b6a354f661559590a2b3045f98ce0a1fc5f5d5f3d35be7e4ddc84a7715a3423.jpg, Caption:

Columbus Blue Jackets’ Kent Johnson (91) scores on Winnipeg Jets’ goaltender Eric Comrie (1) during third period NHL hockey action in Winnipeg, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Fred Greenslade

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