Gagner's 4-point game carries Jackets past Coyotes
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Sam Gagner recorded two goals and two assists, and the Columbus Blue Jackets earned the 500th victory in franchise history, a 4-1 win over the Arizona Coyotes on Monday at Nationwide Arena.
Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 17 of 18 shots on goal for the Blue Jackets, who completed a season-series sweep of the Coyotes.
Columbus (15-5-4) also got goals from Nick Foligno and Zach Werenski.
Tobias Rieder opened the game's scoring for Arizona (8-12-4) before the Blue Jackets added the final four goals. Coyotes goaltender Louis Domingue stopped 30 shots.
The Coyotes got on the board after Blue Jackets forward Brandon Dubinsky was penalized for hooking. On the power play, Rieder was left all alone in the slot and wired a shot over Bobrovsky after a nice feed from Alex Goligoski off the boards at 9:28 of the first period.
Three minutes after Dubinsky's penalty, Arizona's Lawson Crouse was called for high-sticking. On the ensuing Blue Jackets power play, Gagner was credited with the tying goal after a scrum in front of Domingue.
The Blue Jackets increased their lead to 2-1 on a power-play goal from Foligno at 5:09 of the middle period. The play was started by a terrific diagonal pass from Gagner to Cam Atkinson, who then passed it across the crease to Foligno, standing just outside of the blue paint. It was Foligno's 10th goal of the season and Atkinson's 375th career point.
At 11:37 of the third, the Blue Jackets overwhelmed the Coyotes in their zone. Gagner was left alone in the slot, and he wasted no time shooting the puck into the wide-open net to give Columbus a 3-1 lead.
Gagner tied Foligno for the team lead in goals with 10. Brandon Saad's primary assist on Gagner's second goal was his 200th career point.
Werenski's shot from the corner bounced off Domingue and into the net, pushing Blue Jackets' advantage to 4-1 at 15:00 of the third period.
NOTES: LW Brendan Perlini made NHL debut after being recalled from Tucson of the AHL on Sunday. He was the No. 12 pick in the 2014 NHL Draft ... The Blue Jackets sent LW Markus Hannikainen to Cleveland of the AHL on Sunday. ... G Sergei Bobrovsky in net for the Blue Jackets. G Louis Domingue started for the Coyotes. Domingue hasn't played since Nov. 23 against Vancouver when he stopped all 10 shots he faced in relief of G Mike Smith. ... LW Anthony Duclair and D Kevin Connauton were scratched for the Coyotes. RW Brad Richardson is out with a broken leg. It was Duclair's first scratch this season. ... D Dalton Prout and D Scott Harrington were scratched by the Blue Jackets. RW David Clarkson (back) is injured.