Blue Jackets use shootout to end Canucks' winning streak

COLUMBUS -- The Vancouver Canucks' five-game winning streak ended with a 4-3 shootout loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena on Monday.

Dmitri Voronkov had two goals, Yegor Chinakhov scored and Elvis Merzlikins made 27 saves in his first start since Dec. 29 for the Blue Jackets (14-21-9), who ended a three-game losing streak (0-2-1). Kirill Marchenko scored the deciding goal in the fourth round of the shootout.

“It was really difficult. It was really difficult to get into the game,” Merzlikins said. “Each period I was feeling better and better and more comfortable. … It was a long time [that] I didn't play.”

Voronkov's second goal of the game tied it 3-3 for Columbus at 10:57 of the third period, when he tucked the puck between the right pad of Casey DeSmith and the left post for his first multi-goal game in his 38-game NHL career for Columbus, which is 3-4-4 in its past 11 games. 

“Our skating is good, and we wanted to pressure them, force them to make plays under pressure,” Blue Jackets coach Pascal Vincent said. 

J.T. Miller had a goal and an assist, Elias Pettersson and Conor Garland scored and DeSmith made 41 saves for the Canucks (30-11-4), who are 13-2-3 in their past 18 games.

Vancouver's loss in the final game of a season-long seven-game road trip (5-1-1) was its first this season when leading after two periods (26-0-1).

“I loved that we got a point. Casey was unreal,” Miller said. “It could have been a lot worse than it was. We’ve done a good job as a group lately. That was kind of a dud for us. 

“We know that. We have a high expectation and we’ll get back to where we need to be next game. We don’t like the way we played today but we’re excited to go home.”

The Canucks begin a five-game homestand against the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday.

Miller put the Canucks ahead 1-0 at 5:28 of the first period with a deflection of Nikita Zadorov’s long shot for his 20th goal of the season.

Chinakhov tied it 1-1 at 5:55, taking a Johnny Gaudreau pass from the right corner.

Chinakhov has moved to a line with center Cole Sillinger and Gaudreau; they combined for 17 shots Monday, with Chinakhov and Sillinger each having seven.

“Chinakhov, his game is improving and we see it before our eyes,” Vincent said. “Him and Sillinger are just taking a step. They were very explosive out there and created a lot of chances against a very good (Vancouver) line.”

Garland gave Vancouver a 2-1 lead at 14:54 on the Canucks’ 10th shot. 

Voronkov’s tip-in on the power play at 3:28 of the second period tied it 2-2 before Pettersson’s power-play goal off tic-tac-toe passes from Quinn Hughes and Miller gave the Canucks a 3-2 lead at 7:35. It was Pettersson's 23rd goal of the season. 

But Vancouver could not hold the lead; the Canucks did not arrive in Columbus until Sunday night after being stuck in Buffalo following 1-0 win at the Sabres on Saturday afternoon. They bused to Toronto and flew from there.

“We grinded. We were a tired group,” Vancouver coach Rick Tocchet said. “We made some mistakes we usually don’t make. I think it was mentally a tough game for some guys but we hung in there.”

“We had the lead late there in the third. Got to give them credit. Columbus worked hard. They worked hard through the neutral zone. They’ve got young skill. They’re an up-and-coming team.”

NOTES: Blue Jackets center Sean Kuraly played 13:25 with one shot, three hits and was 4 of 8 on face-offs in his return from missing eight games since Dec. 23 with torn cartilage in his ribs. …  Pettersson has 13 points (eight goals, five assists) in his past six games. … Miller has 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in his past eight games. … Hughes has 13 points (two goals, 11 assists) in his past 11 games and has 52 points (11 goals, 41 assists) in 44 games this season. … Miller joined Brock Boeser (27) and Pettersson as the third Canucks player this season with at least 20 goals to tie the Colorado Avalanche as the only teams with three 20-goal scorers. … This is the second time Vancouver has had three 20-goal scorers through its first 44 games. The other was 1992-93: Pavel Bure (40), Greg Adams (23) and Petr Nedved (23).