Blue Jackets hang on against Sharks, move into playoff spot

SAN JOSE -- The Columbus Blue Jackets moved into the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference with a 4-2 victory against the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center on Sunday.

The Blue Jackets, who won for the first time on their three-game California trip after losses to the Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks, are one point ahead of the Florida Panthers and two ahead of the Carolina Hurricanes.
Artemi Panarin scored two goals, and Sergei Bobrovsky made 33 saves for Columbus (33-28-5), which took a 3-0 lead early in the second period that shrunk to 3-2 in the third before Panarin scored into an empty net with 53 seconds left to make it 4-2.
"It was a must-win game tonight," said Blue Jackets captain Nick Foligno, who had a goal. "We talked about that before the game. We just have to start getting that mentality where you're in a tight game and they're coming and they're pushing. That's what teams do this time of year.
WATCH: [All Blue Jackets vs. Sharks highlights\]
"We found a way with some huge blocks, good sticks, great saves obviously by [Bobrovsky]. We found a way to get it done. That's what we need to do this time of year."
Joonas Donskoi and Evander Kane scored for the Sharks (35-22-9), who are in second place in the Pacific Division, 10 points behind the Vegas Golden Knights and one ahead of the Anaheim Ducks.
The goal was Kane's first since being traded to San Jose from the Buffalo Sabres on Feb. 26.
"You get down by three goals, it's tough to come back," said Kane, who also had an assist. "We came up a little short. Late in the second period, we started breaking down their defense and getting pucks to the net. We need to start doing that earlier."

Martin Jones allowed three goals on 13 shots and was replaced in the second period by Aaron Dell, who made 14 saves.
Foligno gave Columbus a 1-0 lead at 9:12 of the first period when he beat Jones with a snap shot through traffic from above the left face-off circle.
Sonny Milano made it 2-0 at 18:01 with his second goal in as many games. He one-timed a backhand pass from Boone Jenner on the rush past Jones from the low slot.
"I'm trying to go where I think the puck's going to end up," Milano said. "Usually, that's right in front by the net. Just try to time it and be where the puck's going to be."
Panarin redirected Ian Cole's slap shot to make it 3-0 at 5:32 of the second period and chase Jones from the game.

San Jose cut the Columbus lead to 3-1 at 18:22 of the second when Donskoi redirected Dylan DeMelo's shot past Bobrovsky.
Kane took a cross-ice pass from Joe Pavelski and scored from the left circle at 10:04 of the third period to make it 3-2.
"They forechecked better than us," Sharks center Logan Couture said. "We played a little slow. We've been playing fast the past few games."
Bobrovsky made 14 of his 33 saves in the third. With 4:06 left, Pavelski redirected Burns' pass from the point in the slot, but Bobrovsky made a sprawling save.
"We still had a little bit of the yips," Columbus coach John Tortorella said of the third period. "I thought [Bobrovsky] made some key saves at that time of the game. I thought we then settled ourselves down."
The Sharks went 0-for-4 on the power play, extending their drought to 12 games (0-for-28).
"You want to get at least one when you get three power plays in the first period," Couture said. "I thought we created some good looks on the first one. We're missing the net too often."

Goal of the game

Foligno's goal at 9:12 of the first period.

Save of the game

Bobrovsky stopping Pavelski at 15:54 of the third period.

Highlight of the game

Milano's goal at 18:01 of the first period.

They said it

"Guys stayed composed. We had blocked shots at the right time, we had the good sticks at the right time. So, we just worked together and we worked through and we got the win." -- Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky
"The first power play we had felt good, felt dangerous. We need to stay with it. There are definitely some plays we can do better. I don't know what the game looked like, but I felt we had our chances. There was never a minute it felt out of reach." -- Sharks captain Joe Pavelski

Need to know

Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic was minus-4. ... Columbus forward Alex Wennberg returned after missing one game with an upper-body injury. He was minus-1 with one shot on goal in 14:17. ... Sharks forward Eric Fehr returned after missing one game with a lower-body injury. He was minus-1 with one shot on goal in 10:27.

What's next

Blue Jackets:Host the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; FS-O, ATTSN-RM, NHL.TV)
Sharks: Host the St. Louis Blues on Thursday (10:30 p.m. ET; NBCSCA, FS-MW, NHL.TV)