Nutivaara's second-period goal lifts Columbus past Ottawa
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Markus Nutivaara scored a power-play goal in the second period, Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 22 shots, and the Columbus Blue Jackets beat the Ottawa Senators 2-1 on Saturday night.
Boone Jenner also scored -- his third tally in three games -- for the Blue Jackets, who have won a season-high seven straight and are holding on to the first wild card spot in the Eastern Conference with 83 points, tied with Philadelphia and one point ahead of New Jersey.
Alexandre Burrows scored his fifth of the year and Mike Condon stopped 33 shots for Ottawa, which saw a three-game winning streak snapped on the second night of a back-to-back.
Burrows gave the Senators a 1-0 lead when he knocked a bouncing puck past Bobrovsky from the doorstep 12 minutes into the first period. Jenner tied it up later in the first when he caught up with a fluttering pass from Thomas Vanek in the slot and lifted it over Condon's shoulder.
Ottawa's Max McCormick went to the penalty box late in the second period for plowing over Bobrovsky, a hit that required a trainer's visit to make sure the goalie was OK. With 22 seconds left in the Blue Jackets' power play, Nutivaara -- playing on special teams in place of an injured Seth Jones -- connected on a slap shot from the point.
Nutivaara and Ryan Murray blocked shots in the final minute to preserve the lead after Ottawa pulled the goalie.
NOTES: Ottawa F Ryan Dzingel had to be helped off the ice in third period after getting hit in the head. ... Columbus coach John Tortorella said Jones, who has an "upper body-- injury, is day-to-day. ... Ottawa F Jim O'Brien got his first assist since March 16, 2013 -- five years and a day -- on Burrows' first-period goal. ... Condon started for Ottawa after Craig Anderson made 23 saves in a 3-2 overtime win against the Dallas Stars on Friday. ... Jenner has four goals and two assists in the last five games. ... Columbus is 17-0 when leading after two periods at Nationwide Arena.
UP NEXT:
Ottawa: Hosts Dallas on Friday.
Columbus: Plays at Boston on Monday.
