Sergei Bobrovsky had 28 saves to register his first shutout of the season and Nick Foligno celebrated his 800th NHL game with the only goal of the game to lead the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 1-0 victory over the visiting Vegas Golden Knights on Monday night.
It was the 25th career shutout for Bobrovsky as Columbus won for just the third time in eight games. Foligno’s 177th career goal was also the 30th game-winner of his career.
Malcolm Subban, making his first start since a 7-2 loss at Calgary on Nov 19, finished with 30 saves. It snapped a streak of 13 consecutive starts by Marc-Andre Fleury, who leads the NHL in wins with 19. Subban, who fell to 0-5-0 this season, hasn’t won a game since April 3 at Vancouver when the Golden Knights scored a 5-4 shootout win over the Canucks.
Subban, who entered the contest with a 4.02 goals-against average, matched two-time Vezina Award winner Bobrovsky over the first two periods, coming up with 21 saves during a tight-checking game including a skate save on Anthony Duclair on a breakaway in the first period. He also got some help from the left goal post on a Seth Jones shot from the bottom of the right circle.
Foligno then made it 1-0 just 40 seconds into the third period with his eighth goal of the season, spinning around in the slot in front of the crease and then whipping in a rebound of Jones’ shot past Subban’s blocker side.
The Golden Knights pulled Subban with a minute remaining and Bobrovsky came up with saves on a Reilly Smith wrist shot and also a Colin Miller blast from the top of the slot to seal the win.
Columbus played without left wing and co-leading scorer Artemi Panarin (nine goals, 25 assists), who was a late scratch with a lower body injury. Panarin is listed as day-to-day.
Isles open trip with win
over slumping Avs
Anders Lee and Jordan Eberle had a goal and an assist each, and the New York Islanders beat the Colorado Avalanche 4-1 on Monday night in Denver. Thomas Greiss stopped 30 shots, and Johnny Boychuk and Valtteri Filppula also scored for New York, which won the opener of its four-game road trip. The Islanders are 3-1-1 in their past five games.
Gabe Landeskog had Colorado’s lone goal. Mikko Rantanen, the NHL’s leading scorer with 56 points, had his 14-game point streak ended as the Avalanche fell to 1-3-1 in their past five games. Avalanche goaltender Semyon Varlamov, who has allowed 21 goals in his past five starts, struggled again Monday. He made just 17 saves.
New York played the third period down two players. Defenseman Thomas Hickey sustained an upper-body injury trying to check Avalanche center Tyson Jost in the second period and didn’t return.
Later in the period, Colorado defenseman Ian Cole drew a kneeing minor for a hit on centre Brock Nelson, who did not return.
The Islanders were 2 of 34 on the power play the previous 13 games but doubled that total in the second period.
Columbus Blue Jackets players celebrate after defeating the Vegas Golden Knights in their NHL game at Nationwide Arena. PICTURE: USA TODAY Sports
