Surging Blue Jackets beat Kraken to extend point streak to 12

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Columbus scored three times in the first period and beat the Seattle Kraken 5-2 on Saturday, extending the Blue Jackets’ point streak to 12 games.

Danton Heinen, Damon Severson and Mathieu Olivier scored in the opening frame, and Zach Werenski assisted on all three. Cole Sillinger had a goal and two assists, Kent Johnson added a goal, and Elvis Merzlikins made 15 saves as Columbus won its fourth straight.

Kaapo Kakko had a goal and an assist, and Vince Dunn also scored for Seattle, which has lost three straight and fell two points behind Nashville for the final Western Conference wild-card spot. Joey Daccord stopped 23 shots.

Heinen opened the scoring 2:48 into the game before Severson made it 2-0 at 8:58 with a shot from the left circle — the 52nd goal by a Blue Jackets defenseman this season, setting a franchise record.

Olivier pushed it to 3-0 at 15:16 of the first before Dunn cut it to 3-1 late in the period.

Kakko’s power-play goal at 8:31 of the second pulled Seattle within one, but Johnson answered 62 seconds later and snapped a 12-game goal drought. Adam Fantilli’s assist extended his point streak to six games.

Sillinger added an empty-net goal with 2:26 remaining.

Eeli Tolvanen added an assist in his return for Seattle after missing two games with an upper-body injury. Jared McCann was a late scratch with a lower-body injury.

Up next

Kraken: Visit Florida on Tuesday.

Blue Jackets: Visit the New York Islanders on Sunday.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl