By Canadian Press

Ehlers scores 21 seconds into OT, Jets edge Blue Jackets 4-3

Mar 25, 2022 | 9:07 PM

WINNIPEG — Nikolaj Ehlers scored on a breakaway just 21 seconds into overtime, giving the Winnipeg Jets a 4-3 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday night.

Kyle Connor, who extended his points streak to 10 games, sprang Ehlers for the solo chance.

Columbus forward Oliver Bjorkstrand forced extra time with a power-play goal with 14 seconds left on the clock after Winnipeg defenceman Josh Morrissey was handed a controversial slashing penalty.

Brendan Gaunce and Adam Boqvist also scored for the Blue Jackets in regulation.

Goals from Morrissey, Connor and Dominic Toninato put the Jets up 3-2 heading into the final frame.

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Eric Comrie stopped 32-of-35 shots for Winnipeg (31-25-10) and netminder Elvis Merzlikins made 28 saves on 32 shots for Columbus (32-29-4).

Morrissey scored a power-play goal with 31 seconds left in the second period. His shot from the point was partially stopped but trickled past Merzlikins.

The Blue Jackets knotted the score at 2-2 by taking advantage of a sloppy giveaway by Winnipeg defenceman Logan Stanley. Centre Emil Bernstrom took the puck and passed it to Gaunce, who beat Comrie cleanly at the 3:22 mark of the second period.

Winnipeg took a 2-1 lead into the second period after Boqvist pulled Columbus to within a goal on the power play 13:01 into the first. Centre Gustav Nyquist and former Jets forward Jack Roslovic assisted.

Connor gave the Jets a 2-0 lead when he scored a short-handed goal at 12:30. Toninato flipped the puck up and Connor outraced Patrik Laine to the puck for a breakaway. He then deked Merzlikins and beat him with a forehand shot with Laine bothering Connor from behind.

The Jets opened the scoring when Toninato deflected a Brenden Dillon point shot past Merzlikins at 7:14 of the first period. Recently-acquired forward Zach Sandford also assisted.

It was the third of a four-game homestand for the Jets, who will host the Arizona Coyotes on Sunday at 6 p.m. The Blue Jackets will play the Wild in Minnesota on Saturday night.

NOTE: Columbus forward Laine played in Winnipeg for the first time since the Jets traded him to the Blue Jackets in 2021. He got a big cheer from the Winnipeg crowd before the game. It was also the first time he faced his former team since the deal. … Jets forward Jansen Harkins suffered an upper-body injury in the first period, tried to come back in the second, then retied for the night.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 25, 2022.

Jim Bender, The Canadian Press

Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version misstated the final score.