Kent Johnson scored in the first round of the shootout and Cam Talbot made it stand up in his season debut, fueling the host Columbus Blue Jackets to a 3-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday.
All four games between the teams last season ventured past regulation before Friday’s game followed suit.
Johnson scored by sending the puck between the pads of Sergei Murashov in the first round. Talbot denied Rickard Rakell and Ben Kindel in the first and third rounds, respectively, while former Blue Jacket Egor Chinakhov’s attempt sailed wide of the net.
Columbus defenseman Damon Severson collected a goal and an assist in his season debut. He was activated from the injured/non-roster list after undergoing shoulder surgery in April.
Mathieu Olivier also scored and Cole Sillinger notched two assists for the Blue Jackets, who dictated play by enjoying a decisive advantage in both shots (45-22) and faceoff wins (30-15).
Talbot, who made 20 saves, was suiting up for his ninth NHL team after signing a one-year contract with Columbus on Sept. 14.
The well-rested Blue Jackets were playing in their first game since recording a 4-1 loss to the Utah Mammoth on Saturday.
Pittsburgh’s Bryan Rust scored for the second time in as many games and Evgeni Malkin also tallied.
Murashov turned aside 43 shots for the Penguins, who have lost three in a row (0-2-1).
Despite being outshot 33-10 over the first two periods, Pittsburgh forged a 2-2 tie at 3:19 of the third. Malkin did the honors after backhanding home a loose puck following defenseman Erik Karlsson’s shot from the point.
Defenseman Zach Werenski secured the attention of Pittsburgh’s Rust and Rakell before wiring a cross-zone feed from the top of the right circle to Severson. He converted from the lower left circle to open the scoring at 10:52 of the first period.
Olivier doubled the advantage at 11:40 of the second period after his shot from the right circle caromed off both the post and the skate of Murashov before entering the net. The goal was the second of the season for Olivier.
Rust responded less than three minutes later by skating wide of Severson before tucking the puck past Talbot.
–Field Level Media
