Texier, Severson score shootout goals to lift Blue Jackets over Penguins 4-3
Alexandre Texier and Damon Severson scored in the shootout and the Columbus Blue Jackets broke a six-game losing streak with a 4-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday night.
Kirill Marchenko and Zach Werenski scored third-period goals as Columbus rallied from a two-goal deficit. Mathieu Olivier also scored and Elvis Merzlikins made 30 saves.
Drew O'Connor, Bryan Rust and Rickard Rackell scored goals while Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 35 shots for the Penguins, who split a back-to-back series with Columbus and lost to the Blue Jackets for the first time this season.
Olivier put Columbus ahead 59 seconds into a Blue Jackets first-period penalty kill, burying the rebound of Cole Sillinger's shot at 7:46 and withstanding a coach's challenge for goaltender interference.
The short-handed goal was a career first for Olivier and his second score in two games against Pittsburgh.
O'Connor's one-timer off a feed from Rust pulled Pittsburgh even at 13:29 of the second period, tying his career-long goal streak of three games.
Rust, who extended his point streak to four games, gave Pittsburgh the lead at 18:54 with his score off a feed from Sidney Crosby. The Pittsburgh captain notched his eighth assist and 10th point in his last four games.
Rackell gave Pittsburgh a two-score cushion at 8:59 of the third period, but Marchenko pulled Columbus within a goal nine seconds later. Werenski, who had an assist on Marchenko's goal, drew Columbus even with 8:13 remaining in regulation.
UP NEXT
Penguins: Visit Rangers Monday night.
Blue Jackets: Host Colorado Monday night.
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