Nyquist scores twice, Columbus beats Chicago to snap skid

Updated Dec. 31, 2022 3:59 p.m. ET

Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Gustav Nyquist scored two short-handed goals, Joonas Korpisalo made 26 saves and the Columbus Blue Jackets ended a seven-game losing streak with a 4-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday.

Emil Bemstrom and Kirill Marchenko scored for the Blue Jackets. Johnny Gaudreau had two assists for his 13th assist in December, tying a franchise record set by Artemi Panarin in 2017.

Andreas Athanasiou scored and Alex Stalock made 34 saves for the Blackhawks, who have one win in 12 games — and that was against the Blue Jackets on Dec. 23.

Nyquist scored the go-ahead goal in the second period and into an empty net with 39 seconds left in the game.

This was the rematch in the “Bedard Bowl": Connor Bedard is the generational player for Regina of the Western Hockey League and is expected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NHL draft. The Blackhawks are last in the NHL with 20 points, four fewer than the Blue Jackets.

Columbus had not lost eight straight in regulation since the start of the 2015-16 season.

Athanasiou gave Chicago a 1-0 lead at 11:33 of the first period. But Bemstrom tied it 1 at 8:40 of the first period off a feed by Gaudreau. Nyquist made it 2-1 at 3:50 of the second period with a short-handed goal before Marchenko upped the lead to 3-1 with three seconds left in the second.

The rookie has four goals in eight games since his second call-up from Cleveland and five goals in 12 games for the Blue Jackets

OFF THE ICE

Blue Jackets forward Patrik Laine sat his second straight game while in COVID-19 protocol. He has missed 14 games this season because of injury and illness. … Columbus goalie Elvis Merzlikins replaced Daniil Tarasov as the backup. Tarasov was hit in the mask with a shot during practice Friday. Merzlikins missed the past three games while recovering from COVID-19.

UP NEXT

Chicago: Hosts San Jose on Sunday.

Columbus: At Ottawa on Tuesday.

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