Boone scores 3 goals in Blue Jackets’ 5-4 win over Coyotes

article

GLENDALE, Ariz. - Boone Jenner had three goals, Yegor Chinakhov scored in the seventh round of a shootout and the Columbus Blue Jackets outlasted the Arizona Coyotes 5-4 on the night of Nov. 18.

"Our line, I think we’re just getting that chemistry going and we know what we can bring and we try to play to our strengths right at the play down there," Jenner said. "I think we can read off each other pretty good, and they just seemed to be finding me."

The Coyotes and Blue Jackets traded goals all night, including four in less than three minutes late in the second period.

Neither team scored in overtime, then goalies Elvis Merzlikins of Columbus and Arizona’s Scott Wedgewood swapped saves to keep extending the shootout.

Chinakhov finally ended it by slipping a shot past Wedgwood after Merzlikins stopped Antoine Roussel.

Justin Danforth scored his first NHL goal and Merzlikins had 25 saves for Columbus, which has won five of seven.

"It was a tough game, they battled hard back and forth," Danforth said. "It seemed every time they scored, we scored. And then when we scored, they scored."

Jakob Chychrun had a goal and an assist for Arizona. Ryan Dzingel scored in his return after missing 10 games with an upper-body injury, and Wedgewood made 42 saves.

Phil Kessel and Lawson Crouse also scored for the Coyotes, who came up short in their bid to win consecutive games for the first time this season.

"It’s nice to come back a couple of times, nice to have that adversity and keep tying it up, keeping giving ourselves a chance," Chychrun said. "We did some good things and it (stinks) not getting the two points."

The Coyotes won their second game of the season Tuesday, beating St. Louis 3-2 behind Barrett Hayton’s first career two-goal game.

They got off to a good start Thursday, scoring six minutes in when Dzingel beat Merzlikins with a wrister through Crouse’s screen from the left circle on a power play.

Columbus set up on its own power play late in the period and Jenner slipped a short backhand between Wedgewood’s glove and the near post.

Both goalies were good in the second period before a flurry of four goals in 2 minutes, 48 seconds.

The Coyotes retook the lead when Kessel scored from the right circle on a shot that Merzlikins had trouble seeing through a passing teammate.

Jenner scored 22 seconds later by lifting a rebound over a prone Wedgewood. Danforth made it two goals in 42 seconds, fighting off Coyotes defenseman Cam Dineen to beat Wedgewood glove side on a rebound.

Just when it looked as though the Coyotes were headed for another meltdown, Crouse gathered a puck that bounced off someone out front and beat Merzlikins to the stick side to tie it 3-all.

"We showed a lot of character," Coyotes coach Andre Tourigny said. "When they scored their third goal, we came back right away and scored our third goal."

Danforth just missed his second career goal midway through the third period, hitting the post on an open net after Coyotes center Alex Galchenyuk clipped his stick.

Zach Werenski hit another post to start a power play, but this time it ended in a goal when Jenner punched in the rebound. About a dozen Columbus fans celebrated by throwing hats onto the ice from behind the Blue Jackets’ bench.

Chychrun tied it 41 seconds later, taking a nice feed from Clayton Keller and beating Merzlikins to the stick side.

COVID-19 ISSUES

Arizona was missing two players who are in COVID-19 protocol, left wings Andrew Ladd and Johan Larsson. Ladd missed his third straight game, Larsson his second.

Columbus played without forward Max Domi for the sixth straight game while he’s in COVID-19 protocol.

ICE CHIPS

Keller became the 11th player in Coyotes history to reach 200 career points. ... Jenner has eight goals and 12 points in 14 career games against the Coyotes. ... The Coyotes assigned forward Ben McCartney to the Tucson Roadrunners of the AHL after he played in his first two NHL games Nov. 5-6. ... Columbus RW Jakub Voracek had two assists to extend his point streak to seven games.

UP NEXT

Columbus plays at Vegas on Saturday.

Arizona hosts Detroit on Saturday.

___

More AP NHL coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL