Blue Jackets 4, Avalanche 3
DENVER -- Brandon Dubinsky scored a tiebreaking goal early in the first period and the Columbus Blue Jackets posted their first win of the season with a 4-3 victory over the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday night.
Center Boone Jenner had two goals and defenseman Ryan Murray also scored for the Blue Jackets.
Columbus won for the first time in nine games and avoided matching the worst NHL start in 72 years. The New York Rangers began 0-11-0 in 1943-44.
Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky had 31 saves for the Blue Jackets
Dubinsky gave coach John Tortorella the win in his second game behind the bench when he scored on a rebound at 13:17. Murray had tied it at 3 just 2:47 earlier with his first goal of the season.
Right winger Jarome Iginla had a goal and an assist and goalie Semyon Varlamov stopped 32 shots for Colorado. Varlamov came off for an extra skater in the final minute.
Center Nathan MacKinnon and right winger Jack Skille also had goals for the Avalanche.
Columbus entered the game 0-7 when trailing after two periods.
Skille gave Colorado a 1-0 lead just 2:21 into the game. His shot from the left circle went over Bobrovsky's shoulder and into the right corner for his second goal of the season.
Jenner tied it midway through the first period when Colorado defenseman Nick Holden couldn't control the puck at the Columbus blue line. Jenner picked it up, carried it into the Avalanche end and beat Varlamov.
The Avalanche couldn't capitalize on two power plays in the first period, but the Blue Jackets cashed in on its only one after just 15 seconds. Jenner screened Varlamov before tipping in defenseman David Savard's shot from the point at 15:56 of the first period to make it 2-1.
It stayed that way until Iginla tied it 1:43 into the second period. His shot on an odd-man rush beat Bobrovsky through the five hole for his third goal of the season.
Iginla set up MacKinnon's power-play goal late in the second period that gave the Avalanche a 3-2 lead.
Columbus had a goal disallowed earlier in the period because of incidental contact on Varlamov.
NOTES: Blue Jackets C Ryan Johansen, the team's leading scorer through the first eight games, was sent home to Columbus on Saturday morning because of illness. ... Avalanche D Brad Stuart (back) was scratched for the fifth time in seven games. He is considered day to day. ... The Blue Jackets were outscored 37-15 in their first eight games. ... Avalanche D Tyson Barrie served the last of his three-game suspension for his hit on Anaheim D Simon Despres on Oct. 16. ... Columbus' American Hockey League affiliate, Lake Erie, was Colorado's affiliate for eight seasons before signing a deal with the Blue Jackets last spring.