Zach Werenski scored 1:01 into overtime to give the Columbus Blue Jackets a 3-2 win against the Utah Hockey Club on Friday night in Salt Lake City.
Werenski finished a two-on-none breakaway with Cole Sillinger after stealing the puck in Utah’s zone.
Utah gave up a 2-0 lead in the third period.
Kirill Marchenko and Kent Johnson also scored for Columbus. Werenski added an assist, and Daniil Tarasov made 31 saves. The Blue Jackets have now won three straight games, all in overtime.
Nick Schmaltz and Alexander Kerfoot scored for Utah, Clayton Keller recorded two assists, and Karel Vejmelka made 20 saves. Utah has now lost four games in a row (0-2-2), despite being tied or leading during the third period of each.
Columbus cut the deficit to 2-1 at 6:25 in the third after Vejmelka stopped shots from Werenski and Adam Fantilli, but Marchenko scored on the rebound.
The Blue Jackets tied the game at 2-2 at 11:42 when Johnson’s wrist shot hit Vejmelka and the rebound fell to his side. Utah defenseman Nick DeSimone accidentally kicked the puck into his own net.
Columbus killed two penalties in the first period and prevented another Utah power play after winning a challenge for delay of game.
Utah killed a four-minute high-sticking penalty on Ian Cole, with Vejmelka making six saves during the kill.
Utah’s second power play of the first period carried into the second period, and Schmaltz scored 41 seconds into the middle frame to give Utah a 1-0 lead. Keller lost the puck at the Columbus blue line, but Barrett Hayton collected it and passed it to Schmaltz, who redirected the puck into the top right corner.
Utah extended its lead to 2-0 just 29 seconds into the third period. Kerfoot won a faceoff in the Columbus zone, and John Marino’s slap shot was saved by Tarasov. The rebound came to the front of the crease, and Kerfoot quickly scored.
