Blue Jackets 3, Coyotes 2
BLUE JACKETS 3, COYOTES 2: Defenseman Jack Johnson scored his first goal with his new team and set up another as host Columbus secured its first three-game winning streak in more than a year by topping slumping Phoenix.
R.J. Umberger and Derek MacKenzie also tallied and Steve Mason turned aside 38 shots for the NHL-worst Blue Jackets, who also posted a 5-2 victory over the Coyotes on Saturday.
Former Blue Jacket Antoine Vermette and All-Star defenseman Keith Yandle scored for the Coyotes, who have dropped all four contests in March after posting an 11-0-1 record in February.
Umberger started the action early by beating Mike Smith under the crossbar 31 seconds into the contest.
Johnson then collected his first goal as a member of the Blue Jackets by skating in from the blue line and beating Smith from the left faceoff circle.
That spelled an early evening for Smith, who was replaced by Jason LaBarbera at 3:54 of the first period.
After Vermette netted his ninth of the season, MacKenzie regained the two-goal advantage by cleaning up a rebound and wiring a shot past a bevy of bodies.
Yandle then trimmed the deficit back to one after ripping a shot from the right faceoff circle with 3:34 left in the second period, but Mason closed the door for Columbus.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Columbus last won three in a row from Feb, 18-25, 2001. ... Johnson was acquired in a deal that sent Jeff Carter to the Los Angeles Kings on Feb. 23. ... Blue Jackets defenseman Nikita Nikitin suffered a lower body injury and did not return. ... After dropping his first four meetings versus the Coyotes, Mason has collected three straight wins.