Blue Jackets defeat Penguins in shootout

Associated Press

COLUMBUS

Cam Atkinson and Ryan Johansen scored in the shootout to lift the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 4-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday night for their sixth straight win.

Sergei Bobrovsky had 33 saves through overtime, then stopped Evgeni Malkin and Brandon Sutter in the tiebreaker to preserve the win.

Nick Foligno, Boone Jenner and Jack Johnson scored in regulation for the Blue Jackets. Jenner’s score came on a penalty shot with 7:55 remaining in the third period. David Savard added two assists for Columbus.

Kris Letang had two goals — including the tying score with 11 seconds remaining in regulation — and Blake Comeau also scored for the Penguins, and Thomas Greiss finished with 24 saves. Letang also scored in the shootout.

Pittsburgh was without star Sidney Crosby for a second straight game because of swelling to the right side of his face that team officials said doesn’t appear to be mumps as they await results from additional tests.

The Penguins came in 10-1-1 in their last 12 regular season games against the Blue Jackets, including a 5-0 mark last season.

Letang’s short-handed goal gave the Penguins a 2-1 lead at 7:22 of the third as he scored on a 2-on-1 break with a high flick shot over Bobrovsky.

Columbus then countered with two goals in 5:44 to take the lead. After being hauled down on a break by Simon Depres, Jenner beat Greiss with a shot under his blocker on a penalty shot for his sixth goal of the season.

Then with the teams skating 4-on-4, Johnson followed with a shot from the left circle into the far corner of the net to make it 3-2 with 3:11 remaining.

Pittsburgh kept pushing down the stretch. With Greiss pulled for an extra attacker, Columbus twice was called for icing with under 25.5 seconds left bringing the face off back into the Blue Jackets’ zone. Letang finally made took advantage with a one-timer from the left circle for his seventh goal.