Bjorkstrand helps Blue Jackets edge Devils to end slide

COLUMBUS -- Oliver Bjorkstrand scored twice for the Columbus Blue Jackets in a 4-3 win against the New Jersey Devils at Nationwide Arena on Saturday.

Bjorkstrand broke a 3-3 tie with a one-timer from the left face-off circle at 5:00 of the third period.
"We played some good minutes. Maybe some details could straighten up," Bjorkstrand said. "We are trying to do the right things out there. Go north, be direct with the puck."

Jakub Voracek and Adam Boqvist each had two assists, and Joonas Korpisalo made 27 saves for the Blue Jackets (16-16-1), who had lost three in a row. Columbus lost 3-1 at New Jersey on Thursday to begin the home-and-home.
Jimmy Vesey had a goal and an assist, and Mackenzie Blackwood made 30 saves for the Devils (14-17-5), who had won four of their past five.
"We're playing good. It was a hard-fought game," Vesey said. "They probably didn't like the way they played the other night, so they came out a lot harder and then didn't give us as much."
Bjorkstrand gave Columbus a 1-0 lead on the power play at 2:01 of the first period. Patrik Laine sent a pass a cross-ice pass from the left circle to Voracek, who quickly got the puck to Bjorkstrand for a one-timer in the slot.
"The way we are going right now, it was a huge win for us," Voracek said. "We made it a lot tougher than we had to, but we found a way. We need to get a win streak going. It's a crucial time of the year. We have to get some wins."
Boone Jenner scored off the skate of New Jersey center Jack Hughes to make it 2-0 at 4:03. He was behind the net when he attempted a centering pass to Zach Werenski.
Nico Hischier cut it to 2-1 at 14:41 with a wrist shot from the high slot.
Vesey tied it 2-2 with 20 seconds left in the period. The Devils were on the forecheck when Dawson Mercer fed Vesey trailing in the right circle for his sixth goal.
"They got a quick one on us and just a lucky goal, the second goal, and sometimes that happens, but again, we fought back," Devils coach Lindy Ruff said. "We in fact had them even by the end of the period and we played a real strong 40 after that."

Yegor Chinakhov put the Blue Jackets ahead 3-2 at 9:31 of the second period. It was his first point in 15 games since he scored first NHL goal Nov. 15 against the Detroit Red Wings.
Marián Studenič scored in front to tie it 3-3 at 13:32 with his first goal of the season.
"It's always harder to play the other team when they're up," Studenic said. "They just shut it down and they don't go much into the offense, and it's hard to get through them because they're pretty much standing on the blue line."
That was not the plan, Columbus coach Brad Larsen said.
"When you are not winning a lot, you get tentative," he said. "That's a dangerous way to play. I never coach them or tell them to sit back. Nor will I ever do that."
NOTES: The Devils placed forwards Jesper Bratt and Nathan Bastian in NHL COVID-19 protocol on Saturday. With them out, A.J. Greer was inserted at forward and Colton White was the seventh defenseman. … Hughes had a five-game point streak end. … Werenski returned after missing two games in protocol. He had two shots on goal in 27:17. … Voracek was honored before the game for playing his 1,000th NHL game Thursday. "I don't like the attention," he said. "It was a big honor. Everything was a great experience. Very happy I got here in some kind of way. Glad it's behind me. I can focus on the rest of the year." Voracek has played 274 games in four seasons with Columbus, which selected the forward with No. 7 pick in the 2007 NHL Draft; he played 727 games in 10 seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers (2011-21). Voracek has scored 763 points (217 goals, 546 assists) in 1,001 games.