Igor Chernyshov scores late winner as Sharks edge Blue Jackets
Igor Chernyshov scored his second goal of the game with 1:25 left in the third period to lift the San Jose Sharks to a 3-2 win against the Blue Jackets in Columbus.
Macklin Celebrini entered the zone on the rush and passed to the middle for Will Smith, who fed Chernyshov for a one-timer from the left face-off dot.
Celebrini had a goal and an assist for the Sharks (33-31-7, 73 points), who snapped a six-game losing streak (0-5-1) and remain in contention for a Western Conference wild card spot. Will Smith had two assists, and Alex Nedeljkovic made 22 saves.
Denton Mateychuk and Cole Sillinger scored for the Blue Jackets (38-24-11, 87 points), who have lost three of four but remain strong contenders for an Eastern Conference wild-card spot. Elvis Merzlikins made 33 saves.
Celebrini, who had gone six games without a goal, tied the score 2-2 with a power-play goal 57 seconds into the third period. Alexander Wennberg won the faceoff back to Dmitry Orlov at the point, and he passed across to Celebrini for the one-timer.
The Blue Jackets took a 1-0 lead just 31 seconds into the game. Mateychuk took a pass at the left point from Adam Fantilli, skated down into the left circle and beat Nedeljkovic with a wrist shot.
Chernyshov tied it 1-1 at 17:17. Chernyshov stole the puck at center ice, entered the offensive zone, passed to Smith and scored on a one-timer from the right circle off the return pass from Smith.
Sillinger gave the Blue Jackets a 2-1 lead at 12:09 of the second period. Ivan Provorov intercepted a San Jose clearing attempt, skated down into the left circle and fed across to Sillinger, who scored on a one-timer from the right circle.
Nedeljkovic made a right pad save to rob Kirill Marchenko in the slot at 13:03 of the third period.