Sillinger scores again in Blue Jackets win against Blackhawks

CHICAGO -- Cole Sillinger scored in his third straight game for the Columbus Blue Jackets in a 5-2 victory against the Chicago Blackhawks at United Center on Saturday.

Boone Jenner and Johnny Gaudreau also scored for the Blue Jackets (20-30-10), who had lost two in a row and three of their past four. Zach Werenski and Jack Roslovic each had two assists, and Elvis Merzlikins made 26 saves.

“Lately, I think we are playing great hockey,” Merzlikins said. “I don’t think there is any pressure on us right now. We are just literally enjoying the game and fighting and battling and doing our job well. The last few games we’re playing against teams and not even looking at where they’re at in the standings, top or in the bottom. We’re just trying to do our game, and we’re doing well.”

Philipp Kurashev and Ryan Donato each had a goal and an assist for the Blackhawks (15-41-5), who have lost six straight (0-4-2). Arvid Soderblom made 26 saves.

“It was a real sloppy game by us, right from the start,” Chicago coach Luke Richardson said. “... A terrible start, we played really slow. We kept turning pucks back and they kept coming at us, so it's a bad combination.

“It has been bad because over the last month I thought we've really competed hard, we've been in most games. [A] 2-1 loss or 2-0 loss with an empty net, you can live with when we're playing hard, we're competitive and making it a tough night on the other team.”

Alexandre Texier gave Columbus a 1-0 lead 33 seconds into the first period. Seth Jones lost the puck in the slot in the defensive zone, where Texier picked it up circled around the defenseman before scoring with a wrist shot.

Jenner made it 2-0 at 14:05, deflecting in a shot from the high slot by Werenski.

“It’s awesome,” Werenski said. “We work on it every morning pretty much. I kind of know where he likes it. It was just me and him there. I figured why not shoot it. He’s good at it. That’s where he scores all his goals from. It’s no surprise he’s having the year he’s having. It’s good for him.”

Kurashev cut it to 2-1 at 17:32, taking a touch pass from Connor Bedard in front of the net and putting it past Merzlikins' glove. Bedard started the play when he knocked Alexander Nylander off the puck in the corner.

“I think he just went through the hands and bumped him off the puck, and then he’s there and he actually made a real nice little tip pass off that because he’s in the play,” Richardson said of Bedard. “He needs to do that all the time. He can bump a guy and finish a guy, but then come off first.

“That’s important when we have the puck, but it’s also important if they make the play that the defenseman doesn’t jump by him to get up in the offensive rush. That was a good example, and he executed that well there.”

Mathieu Olivier extended it to 3-1 at 3:09 of the second period, taking a pass in front of the net from Werenski and scoring with his backhand.

Sillinger pushed it to 4-1 at 11:51 off a feed from Nylander from behind the net.

“I thought we were in control most of the night,” Sillinger said. “When you get a start like we did, I thought we kept building on it and did a decent job at maintaining that momentum. Yeah, it’s good to get a win.”

Donato cut it to 4-2 at 6:18 of the third period. Kurashev carried the puck into the slot and had his backhand attempt go off the end boards. Donato then picked up the puck in front of the net and poked it in.

“Obviously, it's all about building a culture,” Donato said. “I think that's first and foremost. It's stuff every night that we notice that we want to continue to harp on and grow as a team. Obviously, it's not easy losing, right? It's not always a positive thing, but sometimes the messages are hard, but you've got to keep rolling and grow as a team.”

Gaudreau scored into an empty net at 17:35 for the 5-2 final.

NOTES: Sillinger became the third player in Blue Jackets history to score 30 goals prior to his 21st birthday, joining Rick Nash (58) and Pierre-Luc Dubois (47) … Werenski recorded his 28th career multiassist game, passing Jones for fifth-most in Blue Jackets history.