Blue Jackets 3, Panthers 2 (SO)
Rookie Maksim Mayorov scored the decisive goal in the second round of the shootout as the Columbus Blue Jackets halted a six-game home losing streak Tuesday with a 3-2 triumph over the Florida Panthers.
Scottie Upshall and Antoine Vermette tallied in regulation and Steve Mason made 29 saves for the Blue Jackets, who had lost four in a row and 13 of 15 overall.
David Booth and rookie Evgeni Dadonov scored while Scott Clemmensen stopped 30 shots for Florida, which went 0-3-2 on its five-game road trip and lost its seventh straight away from home.
After Columbus captain Rick Nash and Florida's Stephen Weiss failed to score in the first round of the shootout, Mayorov beat Clemmensen high to the glove side on his first career attempt to give the Blue Jackets the edge.
Mason stopped Mike Santorelli, and Sergei Samsonov hit the crossbar on the Panthers final try.
Upshall gave Columbus a 1-0 lead at 7:06 of the first period with his 21st goal of the season, but Booth forged a tie during a power play 3:41 into the second, burying a loose puck in the crease for his first tally in eight games.
The Blue Jackets moved ahead late in the period when Vermette beat Clemmensen with 62 seconds remaining. Florida answered 7 1/2 minutes into the third as Dadonov scored on a wraparound at the right post.