Laine scores in OT, Blue Jackets defeat Islanders

COLUMBUS -- Patrik Laine scored at 1:49 of overtime to give the Columbus Blue Jackets a 3-2 win against the New York Islanders at Nationwide Arena on Thursday.

Laine held the puck and skated to the right circle before scoring his second overtime goal this season; he also scored the game-winner in a 2-1 victory against the Seattle Kraken last Saturday.
"I got the puck from (Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski)," Laine said. "I was thinking about keeping it and going to the neutral zone, but then I just realized they had a long shift so I might as well try something, and I got past the guy and just tried to shoot it. Our goalie coach (Manny Legace) told me to go low blocker, so that's where I went, and it went in."
Oliver Bjorkstrand had three assists, and Elvis Merzlikins made 34 saves for the Blue Jackets (3-1-0).
Columbus coach Brad Larsen said he liked the response after a 4-1 loss at the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday.
"It was a little bit of a fire drill for us sometimes, but we battled through it," Larsen said. "Elvis was good for us again tonight."
Ilya Sorokin made 29 saves, and Mathew Barzal scored for the Islanders (1-2-1).
"You want to get two points every night, but at least we found a way to get one," New York defenseman Scott Mayfield said.

Barzal tied it 2-2 at 5:03 of the third period with a shot under the crossbar from the right circle. He had nine shots on goal in the game.
Boone Jenner and Cole Sillinger scored 33 seconds apart in the second period to give the Blue Jackets a 2-1 lead.
Jenner scored on the power play at 18:00 to tie it 1-1. Jakub Voracek took a shot near the blue line that was tipped first by Bjorkstrand, then Jenner for his third goal.
Islanders coach Barry Trotz said he wasn't pleased with the high-sticking penalty by Casey Cizikas at 16:51 that put Columbus on the power play.
"They're just dumping the puck in, 1-on-3, just trying to make a line change," Trotz said. "They had some zone time. We take a penalty on it. In some ways, it's unacceptable. That's just being careless.
"They scored on it and got some momentum. A shift after a goal is huge. All of a sudden a really good period you can wrap your arms around for really 17 minutes, you come out 2-1."

Sillinger, the No. 12 pick at the 2021 NHL Draft, skated to the slot and scored his first goal in his fourth game off a pass from the right corner by Vladislav Gavrikov at 18:33.
"I don't think there was any pressure," Sillinger said. "I was getting chances in the game, so my main focus was to generate chances as much as I can for my team, and it was really good that one finally popped in the net there.
"I'm pretty relaxed. It was good for all of us to rebound and get a key win in our own building."

Mayfield, a defenseman, scored unassisted at 10:35 of the second period to give New York a 1-0 lead. He created a turnover and sent a backhand shot toward the net that deflected off the stick of Blue Jackets forward Sean Kuraly.
It was Mayfield's first regular-season goal since March 6, a span of 36 games.
"We haven't had a complete effort for sure, but we'll give some props to our group in the third (for) battling back," Trotz said. "That can be really disheartening, having a real strong second period like we did, then being on the wrong side of the score."
NOTES: Sillinger (18 years, 158 days) is the fourth-youngest Blue Jackets player to score his first NHL goal. Rick Nash is the youngest; he was 18 years, 116 days when he scored Oct. 10, 2002. … Islanders center Jean-Gabriel Pageau did not play because of a non-COVID-19 illness. Forward Anders Lee returned after he missed a 4-1 win at the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday for the same reason. Each was replaced by forward Kieffer Bellows, who played 5:58 Thursday.