Blue Jackets win fifth game in row

DETROIT-- Sergei Bobrovsky made 31 saves for the Columbus Blue Jackets in a 4-1 win against the Detroit Red Wings at Joe Louis Arena on Friday.
"I didn't think we were all that good tonight, but [Bobrovsky] made some huge saves," Columbus coach John Tortorella said. "You have to be able to win games in this league when you don't play well, and that's what we did tonight. A lot of that was because of our goalie."

Columbus (16-5-4) won its fifth straight game and is 10-1-2 in the past 13. Bobrovsky has allowed 20 goals in his past 11 games, going 9-1-1.
WATCH: All Blue Jackets vs. Red Wings highlights
"They are a faster team than what we've been seeing, and we didn't adjust to it very well," Blue Jackets forward Cam Atkinson said. "[Bobrovsky] was a rock, though, just like he's been since game one."
Red Wings goalie Petr Mrazek allowed three goals on 17 shots before being replaced by Jimmy Howard. Detroit (13-12-3) is 2-2-1 in its past five games.
"I thought we played a good game and did a lot of good things," Red Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg said. "They got three fluky goals, and they are tough to play if you get behind."
The Blue Jackets took a 1-0 lead on Atkinson's shorthanded goal at 3:08 of the first period. Atkinson gathered a loose puck to start a 2-on-1, waited for Red Wings defenseman Mike Green to commit to stopping the pass, and beat Mrazek for his ninth goal.

Red Wings forward Anthony Mantha hit the post twice before the end of the first period, and Detroit didn't tie the game until Dylan Larkin's power-play goal made it 1-1 at 4:46 of the second. Bobrovsky made the initial save against Thomas Vanek, but Larkin scored his ninth goal on the rebound.
Columbus made it 2-1 at 8:34 of the second period when Mrazek's pass was intercepted by David Savard and his shot turned into Brandon Dubinsky's third goal. The Blue Jackets increased the lead to 3-1 at 13:30 when Mrazek mishandled Sam Gagner's shot and Lukas Sedlak tapped in the rebound for his first NHL goal in his 22nd game.

"I've had so many great chances that I haven't finished that I didn't really believe it when that one went in," Sedlak, 23, said.
Howard, who missed six games with a groin strain, replaced Mrazek after Sedlak's goal.

"I think both of those goals are ones that Petr is going to want to have back for sure," Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said.
Gagner scored an empty-net goal at 19:46 to give Columbus a 4-1 lead.

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Goal of the game

The Blue Jackets took advantage of a sloppy play by Mrazek to take the lead in the second period. He tried to freeze the puck well out of his crease, then had to make a quick pass to avoid a delay of game penalty. Savard intercepted the pass along the boards and took a shot that Atkinson tipped on net. Mrazek made the save, but Dubinsky scored on the rebound.

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Save of the game

Bobrovsky preserved a 3-1 lead late in the second period, lunging with his right skate to stop Vanek's tip of Xavier Ouellet's shot from the point.

Highlight of the game

Larkin nearly scored his second of the game late in the second period, putting a backhand on net out of a goal-mouth scramble. Bobrovsky moved up and made the save with his body and left arm.

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Unsung moment of the game

In the first 90 seconds, the Red Wings got a 2-on-1 with Zetterberg and Mantha. Zetterberg slid a pass across the top of the crease, but Savard scrambled to knock the puck off Mantha's stick.

They said it

"It felt good to get out there and knock some rust off." -- Red Wings goalie Jimmy Howard on playing 23:53 in his first game since Nov. 25

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Need to know

The Blue Jackets played without captain Nick Foligno, who was scratched with an illness. … Columbus defenseman Zach Werenski had about 200 friends and family in attendance for his first NHL game in his hometown. He was in the penalty box when Larkin, his childhood friend and roommate at the University of Michigan, scored on the power play. "It was great to get a win in front of everyone, but it was definitely not in the plan for Dylan to score while I was in the box," Werenski said. … Red Wings defenseman Alexey Marchenko and forward Andreas Athanasiou returned to the lineup from injury. Defenseman Jonathan Ericsson was scratched with back spasms.

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What's next

Blue Jackets: Host the New York Islanders on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; FS-O, MSG+, NHL.TV)
Red Wings: Host the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday (5 p.m. ET; TCN-PH, FS-D, NHL.TV)