Byfield put Los Angeles up 1-0 at 18:22 of the first period with a spectacular goal. Taking the puck off the face-off in the Kings defensive zone, Byfield skated through center ice and into the offensive zone, where he split Blue Jackets defendersZach Werenski and Jake Bean. He lost control of the puck for a second, but was able to kick it to his stick, and then lifted a backhand shot into the net while falling to one knee.
“I could have held a camera and filmed it. Beautiful goal,” Dubois said.
Hiller said, “'Q,' he can really skate, so despite us not having legs as a team, Q’s going to give us energy and skate. He always does that. We knew what we were going to get. We didn’t know he’d go through two guys and bury it on his backhand.”
Byfield has 12 points (six goals, six assists) in his past 10 games.
“This time last year, I might have dumped it in,” he said. “I feel good with the puck right now. Confidence is there. Knowing I can make plays, knowing if I shoot, I have a good chance at scoring.”
The Blue Jackets appeared to take the lead at 9:54, but Johnny Gaudreau’s goal was overturned after the Kings successfully challenged for goalie interference.
“It shouldn’t change how we’re playing,” Columbus captain Boone Jenner said. “Second half of the first wasn’t as good as the first half there. We just didn’t play hard enough or good enough to win tonight.”
Dubois made it 2-0 at 1:27 of the second period when he chased down Brandt Clarke’s long dump-in off the end boards and one-timed a shot from the left circle on the power play.
Boqvist cut it to 2-1 at 4:41, banking a shot off Talbot from behind the net.
Dubois put the Kings up 3-1 at 11:49 with a slow five-hole shot from the slot off a pass from behind the net by Byfield.
“Yeah, I still think I can play better,” Dubois said. “It’s a long season. The start wasn’t exactly what I wanted. I want to get to a point where every game I have my A-game. The next couple months are going to be huge. I want to finish the season strong.”
