COLUMBUS — Kirill Marchenko scored the game-winning goal just 16 seconds into overtime to lift the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 4-3 win over the Ottawa Senators on Sunday night.
Marchenko’s goal was his 21st of the season and set a franchise rookie record. He's currently tied with Dallas’ Wyatt Johnston and Seattle’s Matty Beniers for the NHL lead among all rookies.
Kent Johnson, Eric Robinson and Boone Jenner also scored for Columbus, Johnny Gaudreau tallied two assists and Marchenko added an assist.
Jon Gillies, who made his Blue Jackets debut, made 24 saves and got his first win since Feb. 10, 2022.
Both teams traded goals through the first 10 minutes of the first period, as Johnson scored on a power play at 2:41 on the Blue Jackets' first shot of the game. Dylan Gambrell followed with wrister at the 4-minute mark to tie it up.
Robinson gave Columbus the lead again 5 seconds later on the Blue Jackets second shot of the game, but a goal from Mark Kastelic tied it again.
Alex DeBrincat gave Ottawa its first lead as the Sentors took a 3-2 advantage with five minutes left in the period.
Columbus would pull even at 14:11 of the third when Jenner scored his team-leading 26th goal of the season.
Cam Talbot stopped 18 shots in the losing effort for Ottawa. The Senators have now lost two straight and beginning to see their playoff hopes slip away as the Senators sit six points behind Pittsburgh for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
The win ended a four-game losing skid for the Jackets and moved them out of the NHL basement. Columbus tied Anaheim for the second-fewest points in the NHL with 56. Chicago is last with 54.
Blue Jackets head up north to face the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday night.
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