Gibson, Ducks rally past Blue Jackets, end 5-game skid

COLUMBUS -- John Gibson saved all 18 shots in the final two periods, and the Anaheim Ducks scored five unanswered goals to defeat the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-3 at Nationwide Arena on Thursday.

Gibson replaced Anthony Stolarz, who allowed three goals on 15 shots in the first period when the Ducks (13-28-5) trailed 3-0.
"The guys played really well for me out there those two periods, so I've got to give a lot of credit to them," Gibson said.
Gibson won his 174th game to pass Guy Hebert for second on Anaheim's all-time list behind Jean-Sebastien Giguere (206).
"It's an honor," Gibson said. "Obviously, there were a lot of great goalies who played here in the past. To be able to pass some names is an honor."
Adam Henrique, Trevor Zegras and Cam Fowler each had a goal and an assist for the Ducks, who ended a five-game skid (0-4-1).
"I think it was good resiliency by our group," Fowler said.

Mathieu Olivier, Jack Roslovic and Nick Blankenburg scored, and Elvis Merzlikins made 28 saves for the Blue Jackets (13-30-2), who have lost three straight, six of seven and 15 of 18 games.
"We just stopped playing," Olivier said. "We played one of our best periods, I believe, in the first period and we got away from it. It wasn't pretty. We let them come back. This loss is on us. We left the door wide open."
Olivier made it 1-0 at 2:17 of the first period on Columbus' first shot. It was his first goal in 23 games since Nov. 23.
Roslovic ended a 17-game goal drought since Dec. 11 at 6:05 to make it 2-0 on the Blue Jackets' second shot. Henrique's unforced turnover went to Roslovic in the right face-off circle for his fourth goal.
Blankenburg increased the lead to 3-0 at 17:43.

Henrique scored 22 seconds into the second period to cut it to 3-1 after a pass to the low slot by Troy Terry. Henrique has a goal in four straight games.
"It was a basic, simple play that gave them some life and they ran with it," Blue Jackets coach Brad Larsen said. "This is a hard league; you can't give an inch. They've got some skill and you give them some room, and that's what happens. To give them that life early in the period, it puts you on your heels."
Fowler made it 3-2 at 13:07, and Simon Benoit tied it 3-3 at 15:02, using a screen by Lundestrom to score from near the blue line.
Zegras gave Anaheim a 4-3 lead at 5:07 of the third period with a shot from above the right circle that went off Merzlikins' glove.
"Obviously, we didn't get off to the start that we wanted to," Fowler said. "But at this point in the season, how tough things have gone for us, we still continue to fight and claw our way back in the game, and then a big third period. It's something we should be proud of."

Max Jones scored at 15:31 for the 5-3 final.
"We talked about learning this year and the process of being a better team," Olivier said. "You play a good game then you take a step back, which has been the trend of our team recently."
NOTES: It was the sixth three-goal comeback win in regulation in Ducks history and first since Dec. 2, 2018 (6-5 at the Washington Capitals). … Lundestrom had two assists in 15:31 after missing 21 games with a broken finger. He replaced center Mason McTavish, who is out with a lower-body injury. … Zegras extended his point streak to four games (three goals, three assists). … Fowler, a defenseman, has 20 points (10 goals, 10 assists) in 23 career games against the Blue Jackets. … Roslovic has five points (goal, four assists) in a four-game point streak. … Columbus went 0-for-1 on the power play and is 0-for-15 in the past seven games.