Blue Jackets end Panthers' streak with shootout win

COLUMBUS-- Mikko Koivu and Max Domi each scored his first goal with the Columbus Blue Jackets in a 3-2 shootout win against the Florida Panthers at Nationwide Arena on Thursday.

Elvis Merzlikins made 33 saves for the Blue Jackets (3-2-3), and Alexandre Texier scored the only shootout goal in the fourth round.
Columbus has a six-game point streak after opening the season with two regulation losses. It lost to Florida 4-3 in a shootout Tuesday.
"The players want results," Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella said. "They got full result tonight, played much better throughout the game as far as competitiveness. I'm glad we ended up getting two (points), not just one. We've been in a lot of these.
"It would not be a consistent hockey club if we went down that road and played how we played in the last game against Florida."

Chris Driedger made 29 saves for the Panthers (3-0-1), who had started a season with three wins for the first time.
Florida tied its second-longest point streak to start a season, matching 1998-99 (two wins, two ties) and 1999-00 (three wins, one tie). In 1996-97, it opened with eight wins and four ties.
"Anybody could take that (seven out of eight points), but at the end of the day, never being satisfied is what makes you better and makes you more successful," Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad.
"I don't think we're walking out of here licking our wounds by any means, but we obviously have to know that we can beat a team like this, and know you can take the lead in games, but there's a lot to work."
Domi's power-play goal gave Columbus a 2-1 lead at 6:19 of the third period. It came five seconds Jonathan Huberdeau was called for slashing Liam Foudy. Domi won the face-off at the right dot to Zach Werenski, who retuned the puck to Domi at the top of the circle for a slap shot.
"It was a great pass from 'Z,'" Domi said. "You've just got to hit the net and do it as hard as you can.
"It was nice to get the extra point tonight and we were really happy we could answer the bell tonight, obviously, coming off a tough game as a whole."

Domi was traded to Columbus by the Montreal Canadiens this offseason, and Koivu signed as a free agent after 15 seasons with the Minnesota Wild.
Eetu Luostarinen tied it 2-2 at 12:56. Merzlikins saved a shot by Anton Stralman but the puck fell behind him in the crease and Luostarinen poked in his second goal.
"Maybe that was a weird shot because I didn't follow that with my body. I can still do better on that one," Merzlikins said.
Koivu gave Columbus a 1-0 lead at 17:03 of the first period. He was playing his second game after missing six due to the NHL COVID-19 protocol.
Carter Verhaeghe tied it 1-1 at 17:14 of the second period with his fourth goal. He also has two assists in a four-game point streak.
"A real good second (period)," Panthers coach Joel Quenneville said. "The first period we were ordinary, but nearing the end of the first I thought we really had a real good stretch there with a lot of good things."
Anthony Duclair forced a turnover by Texier and shot before Verhaeghe got to the rebound. Duclair has five assists in the past three games.
"That was a gritty effort there," Driedger said. "[Columbus] came out harder than they did (Tuesday). They definitely upped their game."
NOTES: Columbus native Jack Roslovic made his Blue Jackets debut after the Winnipeg Jets traded him and Patrik Laine for Pierre-Luc Dubois on Saturday. Roslovic, a forward, played 14:14 with no shots on goal. Laine is working on visa issues before he can make his debut. ... Panthers defenseman Gustav Forsling left the game after his shift ended at 12:43 of the second period. Quenneville said he has an upper-body injury and will be evaluated. ... Defenseman Markus Nutivaara assisted on the Panthers' second goal in his Florida debut. He played 244 games for Columbus from 2016-20 before being traded this offseason. ... Panthers forward Brett Connolly played his 500th NHL game.