Blue Jackets get past Flames, win Bowness debut as coach

COLUMBUS -- Boone Jenner scored the go-ahead goal with 1:34 left in the third period, and the Columbus Blue Jackets won Rick Bowness’ debut as coach by defeating the Calgary Flames 5-3 at Nationwide Arena on Tuesday.

Jenner made it 4-3 when he snapped a shot from the left face-off circle after a giveaway by MacKenzie Weegar along the wall.

“We were just trying to get on them as quick as we can and make them turn one over,” said Jenner, the Columbus captain. “And luckily, got a good bounce off the wall and walked in and had some space, so I just tried to shoot as hard as I can and find a spot.”

Charlie Coyle then scored into an empty net with three seconds left for the 5-3 final.

“It's always nice when it goes your way,” Coyle said. “You get the win right away, and everyone feels good. And then you move forward, learn some things, and we go on to the next one.”

Coyle had two goals and an assist, Zach Werenski had a goal and two assists, and Jenner had a goal and an assist for the Blue Jackets (20-19-7). Jet Greaves made 29 saves.

Mikael Backlund and Morgan Frost each had a goal and an assist, and Yegor Sharangovich and Connor Zary each had two assists for the Flames (19-23-4), who have lost five of six. Dustin Wolf made 38 saves for Calgary, which went 3-for-3 on the power play.

“We knew they were going to come out, new coach, and we didn't match their energy in the first (period),” said Backlund, the Flames captain. “But we climbed our way back, minute and a half, we've got to find a way to get it to overtime.”

Bowness, 70, was hired Monday, coming out of retirement to replace Dean Evason with the Blue Jackets last in the Eastern Conference.

“The one thing we told them [was], the coach's job is to give them the structure, give them the details,” Bowness said. “Their job is to come and compete.

“My eyes told me tonight we competed. We have to improve, absolutely, right? Taking hits to make plays and running through guys, that's all competing, and that's how you have to win in this league. So, I was very happy with that.”

Dante Fabbro made it 1-0 for Columbus at 3:57 of the first period, scoring from the point off a pass by Werenski.

Coyle made it 2-0 at 15:24 when he took a cross-ice pass from Jake Christiansen and placed a shot inside the left post from the right circle.

“The first period was pretty bad, or really bad for us,” Andersson said.

Frost’s goal at 12:00 of the second period cut it to 2-1. He was on his knees in the crease to push in his own rebound.

Rasmus Andersson tied it 2-2 at 19:18. He scored with a slap shot from point off a short pass from Sharangovich.

Werenski put the Blue Jackets ahead 3-2 at 4:46 of the third during a 5-on-3 power play, scoring from the left circle to the short side.

“I like the energy in the third period no matter what happened,” Jenner said. “We just stuck with it and knew we were doing a lot of good things. So, no matter what way you're going to play, it starts with that compete and dedication or commitment to the details of the game.”

Backlund went to the backhand to tie it 3-3 at 10:05, converting in the slot on the rebound of Frost’s shot.

“It hasn't been our best year on the power play, so it was nice to get three tonight,” Backlund said.

But it wasn’t enough because Jenner stepped up to make the big play.

“They're trying to win too and they're a good team and they were desperate, and they came at us a little bit in the third,” Bowness said. “But those are the situations that we're going to deal with and we're going to handle them better as we progress here.”

NOTES: Werenski extended his personal home point streak to 15 games (29 points; 11 goals, 18 assists). … Columbus defenseman Damon Severson did not play because of illness. Dysin Mayo, recalled from Cleveland of the American Hockey League on Tuesday, replaced him and was plus-1 in 8:03 of ice time. … Andersson became the third Flames defenseman over the past 15 years with consecutive 10-goal seasons. The others are Mark Giordano (six seasons from 2013-14 to 2018-19) and Dougie Hamilton (three from 2015-16 to 2017-18).