Stars Lose To Blue Jackets
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COLUMBUS, Ohio — Perhaps it was the air in Sochi, Russia, that has rejuvenated Blue Jackets center Artem Anisimov. He has come back from the Olympics a different player.
Anisimov scored two goals, giving him five in four games, to spark the Blue Jackets to a 4-2 win over the Dallas Stars on Tuesday night before 15,661 in Nationwide Arena.
It also was the third straight game in which Anisimov has scored the winning goal.
“He’s out of his mind right now,” Blue Jackets left winger R.J. Umberger said. “He wants the puck and puck loves him. He can’t miss.”
Anisimov’s first goal — the game-winner — gave the Blue Jackets a 3-0 lead in the first period.
But his second — with 4:07 remaining in the third period and the Jackets clinging to a 3-2 lead — allowed the Blue Jackets to breathe easy.
“Artem has come back quicker and lighter on his skates,” Blue Jackets coach Todd Richards said. “He’s getting to pucks quicker. His confidence is surging. You can feel it. He’s expecting good things to happen, and it’s good for us.”
Umberger and rookie right winger Boone Jenner also scored for the Blue Jackets, who have
won three straight to move into playoff position in the Eastern Conference.
Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky had 31 saves, 26 of them in the final two periods.
The Stars fell behind 3-0 in the first period but rallied in the third on goals from defenseman Alex Goligoski and defenseman Trevor Daley.
“That could have been a game that gets away on you,” Stars coach Lindy Ruff said. “Down 3-0, we got on our toes and put a lot of pressure on them. We got hit with a little adversity and we fought through it.”
Daley’s goal, at 3:22 of the third, seemed to awaken the Blue Jackets.
“It’s human nature, I think, after a three-goal lead in the first, when you played the night before (in Toronto),” Blue Jackets defenseman James Wisniewski said. “But we have to learn from this. We got away with it, maybe, thanks to Arty.”
Anisimov played for Russia in the Olympics, but the Russians has a disappointing tournament, losing in the qualifying rounds to Finland.
“It’s motivation for me,” Anisimov said. “Put it behind me. Create new reasons to be happy here.”
Anisimov skated the puck out from behind the net and scored through a crowd of skaters off his backhand to push the lead to 4-2.
Stars goaltender Dan Ellis finished with 16 saves but allowed goals on the first and last shots he faced.
Because of the Olympic break, Ellis had not played in a game since Feb. 1.
“It’s not easy. I kind of felt for him,” Ruff said. “The first shot got by him and that kind of rattled him a little bit.”
The Blue Jackets took a 1-0 lead only 1:14 into the game when Jenner scored his 11th goal of the season.
The lead was pushed to 3-0 with two goals 3:31 apart late in the first.
