Zach Werenski scored 1:54 into overtime and the Columbus Blue Jackets extended their points streak to nine games with a 1-0 win over the Florida Panthers on Tuesday night.
Werenski picked up the puck off the right boards, circled around to the bottom of the circle and beat former teammate Sergei Bobrovski, who had made 45 saves until then.
Both teams had some good looks, especially late in the game, but both goalies were outstanding.
Elvis Merzlikins had 32 saves in picking up his fourth shutout of the season. Columbus has won eight of nine and hasn’t lost in regulation since Jan. 9, a streak of 8-0-1.
The Panthers lost for just the second time in their last nine games.
Bobrovsky is 0-2 playing in Columbus since bolting the Blue Jackets for Florida via free agency. He also lost on New Year’s Eve, with Werenski picking up a hat trick against his old teammate in a 4-1 win.
Merzlikins extended his win streak to seven games. He’s 11-2 since taking over the starting job in that Dec. 31 game after Joonas Korpisalo went down with a knee injury.
A Columbus goal by Boone Jenner 6:06 into the game was waved off after a review. Officials determined that teammate Cam Atkinson’s stick made contact with Bobrovsky’s glove and kept the goalie from making the save.
NOTES
Columbus C Alexander Wennberg was placed in injured reserve with an upper-body injury suffered Sunday at Montreal. He’s expected to miss 3-4 weeks. Rookie Ryan MacInnis replaced him in the lineup. … C Aleksander Barkov, Florida’s second-leading scorer, missed his second game with a lower-body injury. … Panthers D Mark Pysyk played in his 400th NHL game.
UP NEXT:
Panthers: Host Vegas on Thursday.
Blue Jackets: Host struggling Detroit on Friday.
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Mitch Stacy, The Associated Press
