COLUMBUS, OHIO – After the Columbus Blue Jackets’ biggest offensive outburst of the season, forward Brandon Dubinsky was asked if he saw it coming.
“Something had to give, right?” he said.
Dubinsky had a goal and an assist and the Blue Jackets dominated against the NHL’s stingiest defense in a 6-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Monday.
James Wisniewski and Nikita Nikitin added goals, Cody Goloubef picked up his first NHL goal and Vinny Prospal and Mark Letestu tied a franchise record by scoring 8 seconds apart in the third period. Nick Foligno and Matt Calvert each had two assists.
No wonder San Jose coach Todd McLellan was fuming after the game when asked for a brief summation of went wrong.
“Outworked? How about that?” he said after his club’s fifth straight defeat in the wake of a 7-0 start. “It’s pretty simple. The team that works the hardest wins. (We were) outworked, outexecuted, outdetailed, outgoaltended — out-a lot of things.”
The Sharks did not play like a team that flew into Columbus on Saturday and had only played one game in the last six days. The Blue Jackets, stuck in a three-game skid during which they couldn’t buy a goal, had played four games in that same span and were in action at home for the second night in a row.
“We had every excuse tonight not to play well,” Columbus coach Todd Richards said. “I liked that there were no excuses.”
Hurricanes 6, Islanders 4
In Uniondale, New York, Alexander Semin netted his 200th NHL goal, Jiri Tlusty scored twice and had two assists, and Carolina scored four third-period goals and overcame three deficits to send the Islanders to their fifth straight loss.
Tim Wallace and Jeff Skinner also had goals for the Hurricanes, who are 3-1-1 on a trip that ends Tuesday at New Jersey.
Maple Leafs 5, Flyers 2
In Toronto, Colton Orr and Matt Frattin scored goals 28 seconds apart in the second period and the Maple Leafs got their second victory in six games at home this season.
Dion Phaneuf, Clarke MacArthur and James van Riemsdyk also scored for Toronto.
Kings 4, Blues 1
In St. Louis, Jeff Carter scored twice for the first time since the Stanley Cup clincher, helping Los Angeles keep the slumping Blues down.
Brian Elliott made 19 saves in a surprise start for St. Louis a day after Jaroslav Halak was activated from injured reserve.
Coyotes 3, Avalanche 2 (OT)
In Denver, Shane Doan scored his second goal of the game at the 4:01 mark of overtime and goalie Mike Smith stopped 41 shots, helping Phoenix rally for the victory over slumping Colorado.
Mark Olver and Matt Duchene had goals for the Avalanche, who had four days of rest but still dropped their third straight.
Wild 2, Flames 1 (SO)
In Calgary, Mikko Koivu scored the winner in the shootout and Minnesota got its first road victory of the season.
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