Monday, January 6, 2020 10:30 PM (ET)

Blue Jackets bounce back to beat Kings

Field Level Media
Jan 7, 2020

Nathan Gerbe and Scott Harrington scored goals less than three minutes apart in the second period as the Columbus Blue Jackets rallied for a 4-2 victory on Monday against the host Los Angeles Kings.

Kevin Stenlund and Gustav Nyquist added third-period goals, while goalie Elvis Merzlikins had 35 saves as Columbus earned the victory one game after its 12-game points streak came to an end.

Alex Iafallo and Trevor Lewis scored goals, while Sean Walker added a pair of assists for the Kings, who have lost consecutive games and fell for the sixth time in their last eight contests (2-5-1).

Goalie Jonathan Quick had 20 saves as the Kings lost for the third time in their last four home games. Kings center Tyler Toffoli was playing in his 500th career game.

Iafallo scored the lone goal of the opening period just 1:26 after the puck dropped. His ninth of the season came after he pounced on the rebound following two consecutive shots on goal by Walker.

Gerbe tied it at 6:53 of the second period when his one-timer from the high slot through traffic beat Quick. Harrington added the go-ahead goal at 10:40 of the period when he took a centering pass from Sonny Milano in front of the goal and redirected the puck off Quick and across the goal line.

Columbus increased the advantage to 3-1 at 4:49 of the third period when Stenlund took the puck across the blue line, shot between two defenders and beat Quick under his blocker.

Lewis got the Kings to within a goal at 11:15 of the third period when he deflected a shot from Walker through heavy traffic. It was Lewis' second of the season. Nyquist scored his 10th into an empty net with a minute remaining to clinch it.

The injury-plagued Blue Jackets got two players back Monday as center Emil Bemstrom returned from a 12-game absence because of a dislocated rib and cartilage injury, while defenseman Markus Nutivaara returned after missing 27 games because of a head injury.

Blue Jackets right wing Cam Atkinson might return from a high ankle sprain Tuesday at Anaheim.

--Field Level Media

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