Jenner scores twice, Blue Jackets defeat Coyotes in shootout

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Boone Jenner scored two goals for the Columbus Blue Jackets in a 5-4 shootout win against the Arizona Coyotes at Gila River Arena on Thursday.

Zach Werenski had a goal and an assist and Justin Danforth scored his first NHL goal for the Blue Jackets (9-5-0), who have won five of seven and three straight on the road. Elvis Merzlikins made 25 saves.
"It was a different game. It seemed like whenever one team scored, the other came right back," Jenner said. "We just stuck with it and we found a way to get that extra [point]."
Scott Wedgewood tied an NHL career high with 42 saves for the Coyotes (2-12-3), including two against Jenner in overtime. Jakob Chychrun tied it 4-4 at 14:18 of the third period and had an assist.
"It was nice to come back a couple of times, to have that adversity and be able to stick with it and keep tying the game up," Chychrun said. "We wanted to get two points, but there's some good things to get one point."
Blue Jackets rookie forward Yegor Chinakhov scored the clinching goal in the seven-round shootout after Jakub Voracek (two assists) and Gustav Nyquist scored to extend it.
"We really coughed up too many (scoring chances) but, in saying that, we found a way," Columbus coach Brad Larsen said. "The guys worked their tails off and we found a way to come back twice in the shootout, we were to our last guy, but we found a way to stay alive and get it done."

Werenski gave the Blue Jackets a 4-3 lead at 13:37 of the third period with a power-play goal originally credited to Jenner before Chychrun tied it.
"You can give [the goal] to him, I don't want it," Werenski said. "I don't want it. He can take it."
The game was tied 1-1 until the Blue Jackets and Coyotes combined for four goals in 2:48 late in the second period.
Phil Kessel's 14th goal in 30 games against Columbus gave Arizona a 2-1 lead at 16:29, but Jenner scored his second goal of the game 23 seconds later to tie it 2-2 at 16:52.
Danforth, who made his NHL debut at age 28 Monday, scored the Blue Jackets' second goal in 43 seconds to make it 3-2 at 17:34.
An undrafted forward who signed with Columbus in May, Danforth is playing in his fifth league (NHL, American Hockey League, ECHL, Kontinental Hockey League and Liiga) in six seasons.
"To get your first goal in the NHL is obviously a big one," Danforth said. "It just felt like one of those nights. I was inches away from getting a couple of more."

Lawson Crouse tied it 3-3 at 19:17 after collecting a loose puck in the slot.
"At the end of the second, we just gave them those opportunities and they capitalized, but other than that I thought we played a pretty solid game," Chychrun said. "You need to rely on your goalie a lot in this league, and to have a guy (Wedgewood) playing with confidence is always key."
Ryan Dzingel, playing his first game since Oct. 25 (upper-body injury), scored two seconds after a power play ended at 5:59 of the first period to give Arizona a 1-0 lead.
Jenner drew a high-sticking penalty by Chychrun, then scored on the power play with a backhand shot from along the goal line to tie it 1-1 at 16:35.
NOTES: Forward Clayton Keller's assist on Chychrun's goal was his 200th NHL point (71 goals, 129 assists) in 309 games. He scored 200 points faster than any Coyotes player since Keith Tkachuk (238 games) in 1995-96. … Crouse has four goals in six home games this season. … Voracek has scored 10 points (one goal, nine assists) during a seven-game point streak. … The Blue Jackets have won six in a row at Arizona. … It's the first time this season the Coyotes have gotten points in consecutive games (1-0-1). They won 3-2 against the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday … Kessel has scored 30 points (14 goals, 16 assists) in 31 games against Columbus.