Blue Jackets score three in first period, hold off Islanders

COLUMBUS -- The Columbus Blue Jackets got the response they were looking for after being humbled in their previous home game.
Oliver Bjorkstrand had an NHL career-high three assists to help the Blue Jackets defeat the New York Islanders 6-4 at Nationwide Arena on Thursday, two days after a 7-2 loss to the Edmonton Oilers.

"Especially after a game where we were completely embarrassed, to come back and have an answer like that against a good team, a divisional team, says a lot about this club," forward Nick Foligno said.
WATCH: [All Islanders vs. Blue Jackets highlights]
Zach Werenski had a goal and an assist, and Artemi Panarin and Alex Wennberg each had two assists for the Blue Jackets (20-11-1), who scored three times in the first period. Sergei Bobrovsky made 21 saves.
Josh Bailey scored three goals, each from an assist by John Tavares, for his first NHL hat trick for the Islanders (17-12-3). Casey Cizikas also scored, and Thomas Greiss made 29 saves.

After the Islanders scored three times in the second period, twice by Bailey, to tie the score at 3-3, Seth Jones scored off a cross-ice pass from Cam Atkinson at 15:03 for a 4-3 Columbus lead. Jones's fourth goal was his first in 18 games.
Foligno made it 5-3 at 17:52 with his seventh goal, coming from between the circles while on delayed penalty.

"I like [that] we didn't lose our composure when we gave those goals back," Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella said. "We kept on trying to play."
Bailey's third goal of the game, and eighth of the season, made it 5-4 at 7:11 of the third. It came four seconds into a power play after Tavares won the draw.
"Even the start of the game, we came out good but we had a bit of a lull from about the 15-minute mark on," Bailey said. "We battled and found a way to get our legs going and compete the rest of the way, but it's frustrating the way we let it get away."
Josh Anderson scored into an empty net with one second remaining for a 6-4 Columbus lead.
The Blue Jackets took a 3-0 lead in the first period lead on the Islanders, who were playing for the third time in four nights.

"After last game, we talked about having a good start and we did that," Werenski said. "They had a tough travel day so we wanted to jump on them early."
Werenski made it 1-0 at 3:57 with his 10th goal. Panarin did the work by circling the zone, ending up in the right corner before patiently waiting for Werenski to reach the low slot.
Markus Nutivaara made it 2-0 with his second goal at 6:23, and Pierre-Luc Dubois's sixth goal was on a rebound on the power play for the 3-0 advantage at 15:52.
Bailey and Cizikas scored 2:49 apart early in the second to make it 3-2. For each it was their first goal in 11 games. Bailey scored at 5:00, and Cizikas got his fifth at 7:49. Bailey tied it 3-3 at 13:52.
"We played hard and then shoot ourselves in the foot there at the end of the second period," Tavares said.

Goal of the game

Werenski's goal at 3:57 of the first period.

Save of the game

Bobrovsky's save on Tavares at 18:33 of the third period.

Highlight of the game

Bailey's third goal, at 7:11 of the third period.

They said it

"We're not usually a physical team but you've got to take a strip off the other team, take off all the flesh if you're going to go down. That's not quite how I said it, but you've got to dig in and fight for each other. You can't go down like that." -- Islanders coach Doug Weight on his message between the first and second period
"It was a bit of track meet tonight for both teams. The can score so you have to give them a little bit of credit." -- Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella

Need to know

Bailey's first goal ended a streak of 19 unanswered goals at home by the Blue Jackets against the Islanders, covering four games, to the third period on Dec. 10, 2016. … Bailey has 20 points (five goals, 15 assists) in his past 15 games. … Tavares has 18 points (five goals, 13 assists) in his past 14 games. … Panarin has 12 points (two goals, 10 assists) in the past seven games. … Blue Jackets center Brandon Dubinsky missed his first game since sustaining a left orbital fracture against the Oilers. Left wing Boone Jenner was moved to center. … Defenseman Jack Johnson played his 400th game for the Blue Jackets. … Columbus won for the first time in its history when an opposing player scored three or more goals (1-32-1).

What's next

Islanders:Host the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; MSG+, FS-W, NHL.TV)
Blue Jackets: At the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday (7 p.m. ET; FS-CR, FS-O, NHL.TV)