Blue Jackets' win streak tied for fourth longest in NHL history
WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) -- Alexander Wennberg had two goals and Brandon Saad also scored, helping the Columbus Blue Jackets beat the Winnipeg Jets 5-3 on Thursday night to extend their franchise-record winning streak to 14 games.
The run is tied for the fourth longest winning streak ever in the NHL and Columbus closing in on the record of 17 set by Pittsburgh in 1992-93. The Jackets next play at Minnesota on Saturday night, and the Wild have won 12 straight, setting up the first meeting between clubs with such long streaks.
Nick Foligno and Lukas Sedlak also scored for Columbus, and Foligno and Zach Werenski each had a pair of assists. Sergei Bobrovsky made 31 saves for his 23rd win of the season.
Shawn Matthias, Bryan Little and Mathieu Perreault scored for Winnipeg, and Michael Hutchinson turned aside 30 shots.
After Matthias, Saad and Foligno scored during the first period, Wennberg made it 3-1 at 8:21 of the second period after a Winnipeg coach's challenge for goaltender interference was unsuccessful.
Foligno was sandwiched between Hutchinson and Jets defenseman Tobias Enstrom when Wennberg raced across the front of the net, grabbed the loose puck and fired it in.
Jets defenseman Dustin Byfuglien took a roughing penalty against Wennberg as time expired in the second, putting Columbus in a 4-on-3 situation to start the third. Wennberg quickly potted his eighth goal of the season at the 45-second mark to stretch the lead to 4-1.
Little redirected Drew Stafford's pass during a power play to narrow the deficit 4-2 at 6:29.
Sedlak tipped in Jack Johnson's shot to make it 5-2 at 14:31, but with Hutchinson out of the net and Winnipeg on the power play, Perreault blasted a shot past Bobrovsky with 1:33 left.
NOTES: Jets captain Blake Wheeler assisted on the late goals, extending his point streak to six games with three goals and four helpers. ... Jets forward Marko Dano left the game in the second with a lower-body injury and didn't return.
Blue Jackets: Play an anticipated game at Minnesota on Saturday night.
Jets: Host the New York Islanders on Saturday night.
