Ehlers’ OT goal lifts Jets past Blue Jackets 4-3

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Nikolaj Ehlers scored on a breakaway just 21 seconds into overtime, giving the Winnipeg Jets a 4-3 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday night.

Oliver Bjorkstrand forced the extra period with a tying power-play goal for Columbus with 14 seconds left after Winnipeg’s Josh Morrissey was assessed a slashing penalty.

Morrissey, Kyle Connor and Dominic Toninato scored in regulation for the Jets. Connor extended his points streak to 10 games. Eric Comrie stopped 32 shots.

Brendan Gaunce and Adam Boqvist had the other goals for the Blue Jackets in regulation. Elvis Merzlikins made 28 saves.

Morrissey scored a power-play goal with 31 seconds left in the second period. His shot from the point was partially stopped, but trickled past Merzlikins.

The Blue Jackets tied it at 2 by taking advantage of a sloppy giveaway by Winnipeg defenseman Logan Stanley. Emil Bernstrom took the puck and passed it to Gaunce, who beat Comrie cleanly at the 3:22 mark of the second.

The Jets opened the scoring when Toninato deflected Brenden Dillon’s point shot past Merzlikins at 7:14 of the first period.

Connor gave the Jets a 2-0 lead when he scored a short-handed goal at 12:30. Toninato flipped the puck up and Connor outraced Patrik Laine to the puck for a breakaway. He then deked Merzlikins and beat him with a forehand shot with Laine bothering Connor from behind.

Boqvist pulled Columbus to within a goal on the power play 13:01 into the first.

NOTE: Laine played in Winnipeg for the first time since the Jets traded him to the Blue Jackets in 2021. He got a big cheer from the Winnipeg crowd before the game. It was also the first time he faced his former team since the deal. … Jets F Jansen Harkins suffered an upper-body injury in the first period, tried to come back in the second, but didn’t return.

UP NEXT

Blue Jackets: At Minnesota on Saturday night.

Jets: Host Arizona on Saturday night.

—

More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports