Kent Johnson scores twice in the third as Blue Jackets defeat Jets 4-1

By The Associated Press

Columbus Blue Jackets' Kent Johnson (91) scores on Winnipeg Jets' goaltender Eric Comrie (1) during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (Fred Greenslade/The Canadian Press via AP)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Fred Greenslade]

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Kent Johnson scored a pair of third-period goals to help the Columbus Blue Jackets snap a three-game losing skid with a 4-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday night.

Dmitri Voronkov and Sean Kuraly, into an empty net, also scored for Columbus. James van Riemsdyk had a pair of assists.

Elvis Merzlikins made 24 saves for the Blue Jackets.

Kyle Connor scored for the Jets. Eric Comrie stopped 24 shots for Winnipeg, which played in Chicago on Saturday afternoon.

The Jets didn’t get their first shot on goal until a power play five minutes into the game, and were outshot 12-6 in the first period.

Connor scored his team-leading 15th goal of the season on Winnipeg’s fourth power play of the game.

Takeaway

Blue Jackets: Columbus was ranked 29th in the league on the penalty kill heading into the game. They took four penalties, but held the Jets to two shots until Winnipeg scored on their fourth man advantage.

Jets: Winnipeg was guilty of over-passing in the first period, something coach Scott Arniel criticized during the team’s recent four-game losing skid.

Key moment

Comrie denied a great scoring opportunity by Columbus when he whipped out his left glove and snagged the puck off a one-timer from the slot by former Jet Sean Monahan seven minutes into the third. But 23 seconds later, Johnson put a rebound from a Monahan shot into the net to go up 2-1. Johnson added his second goal with a one-timer just to the right of the slot.

Key stat

Johnson tallied his seventh and eighth goals of the season just over two minutes apart.

Up next

The Blue Jackets host the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday. The Jets play the second of a four-game homestand on Tuesday against the Boston Bruins.

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