Boone Jenner's late winner pushes Blue Jackets past Sharks
Feb 17, 2024; San Jose, California, USA; San Jose Sharks defenseman Jan Rutta (84) checks Columbus Blue Jackets right wing Yegor Chinakhov (59) during the first period at SAP Center at San Jose. credits: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports Boone Jenner scored the game winner with 12.9 seconds remaining in regulation as the Columbus Blue Jackets edged the San Jose Sharks 4-3 on Saturday.
Jenner put a backhand shot between the pads of Kaapo Kahkonen for his team-leading 17th of the season. The Blue Jackets captain now has four goals in his last three games.
Zach Werenski, Kirill Marchenko, and Dmitri Voronkov had the other goals for Columbus. Erik Gudbranson, Yegor Chinakhov and Johnny Gaudreau each had two assists, and Elvis Merzlikins made 28 saves for Columbus, which avoided a third straight loss.
The Blue Jackets improved to 4-6-1 over its past 11 games and 8-12-6 on the road this season.
Anthony Duclair scored a pair, while Fabian Zetterlund added a goal and an assist for the Sharks. Calen Addison had two helpers, and Kahkonen stopped 37 shots.
San Jose dropped to 5-4-2 over their last 11 games.
The two teams were tied 3-3 after two periods.
Voronkov and Duclair exchanged goals 19 seconds apart.
Voronkov made it 3-1 at 7:14 of the second, putting home the rebound off Chinakhov's shot for his 14th of the season.
Duclair responded for San Jose on a partial break, tucking the puck just inside the post on Merzlikins at 7:33.
The Sharks tied it 3-3 on a power play as Zetterlund one-timed an Addison pass past Merzlikins for his 15th of the season at 15:29.
The Blue Jackets outshot the Sharks 16-8 and led 2-1 after 20 minutes.
Duclair opened the scoring 3:39 into the first period on a breakaway, putting a bouncing puck between the pads of Merzlikins for his 10th of the season.
Columbus then scored twice 1:08 apart.
Werenski tied it 1-1 at 15:16 as his shot from the point got past a screened Kahkonen for his second goal of the season and first in 39 games. With the assist on the goal, Gaudreau extended his point streak to six games.
The Blue Jackets took their first lead of the game when Marchenko put a wrist shot glove-side past Kahkonen for his 16th of the season at 16:24.
The Blue Jackets and Sharks wrap up the season series in Columbus on March 16.
—Field Level Media