Blue Jackets storm back to beat Maple Leafs in OT

[January 09, 2018]  Artemi Panarin capped an improbable comeback with a goal at 3:11 of overtime Monday night as the Columbus Blue Jackets swiped a 3-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs at Air Canada Centre in Toronto.

Panarin tipped Zach Werenski's shot past Frederik Anderson (22-12-2) for his 11th goal of the season as Columbus (25-16-3) passed New Jersey for second place in the Metropolitan Division with its second win in just over 24 hours.

With Toronto seemingly in control, Columbus forced overtime with two goals in a 1:48 span late in the third period. Jordan Schroeder started the comeback at 15:25 with his first goal, collecting his own rebound and beating Andersen with a wrister.

Pierre-Luc Dubois equalized at 17:13, taking Seth Jones' pass and pumping a 30-foot wrister by Andersen for his 10th marker of the season.

The Maple Leafs' James van Riemsdyk initiated scoring at 11:09 of the second. After taking the puck away behind the net, he skated in front of Sergei Bobrovsky. Roman Polak's wrister from the right point was headed wide left until van Riemsdyk's tip sent it off the right post and in the net for his 18th goal.

William Nylander added cushion at 16:02 of the second with the Blue Jackets' Josh Anderson in the penalty box for slashing Auston Matthews. Given plenty of room in the right circle, Nylander maneuvered to its lower edge and beat Bobrovsky with a perfectly-placed shot to the short side, his ninth goal.

 

Maple Leafs defenseman Jake Gardiner (51) and Columbus Blue Jackets left wing Matt Calvert (11) go after the puck at Air Canada Centre. The Blue Jackets beat the Maple Leafs 3-2 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports

Toronto (25-16-2) seemed only to get stronger in the first 12 minutes of the third period. It tried nine shots on net before Columbus even got one to Anderson, and had a 12-1 advantage in shots on goal at one point.

But Bobrovsky (21-12-3) kept the Blue Jackets in contention until his teammates cracked the code on Andersen, who was less than five minutes from his fourth shutout of the season before Columbus flipped the script.

Bobrovsky finished with 36 saves. Andersen bagged 30.

--Field Level Media

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