Blue Jackets thump Senators, 6-3

Zach Werenski scored two goals -- including the game-winner with 2:01 left in the third period -- as the host Columbus Blue Jackets defeated the Ottawa Senators 6-3 on Monday night. Columbus' Pierre-Luc Dubois had a big night with two goals and two assists. Dubois has 16 goals, and Werenski leads all Columbus defensemen with nine tallies. The Blue Jackets padded the score with empty-net goals from Cam Atkinson and Josh Anderson in the final minute.

Atkinson and Artemi Panarin each added two assists, and Sergei Bobrovsky made 22 saves to improve his season record to 17-11-1 as Columbus won for the sixth time in seven games. Ottawa got two goals from Ryan Dzingel, one goal and one assist from Bobby Ryan and 32 saves from backup goalie Marcus Hogberg. However, the Senators still lost their fifth straight game and have dropped 10 of their past 13. Blue Jackets left winger Nick Foligno, the team captain, was not with the squad for personal reasons. His daughter, Milana, who was born with a heart defect, was scheduled for surgery in Boston. After the teams played 28-plus scoreless minutes, there were two second-period goals within a span of 81 seconds.

The action started when Columbus' Josh Anderson cross-checked Mark Borowiecki, setting off a fight between the two. The cross-check gave Ottawa a power play, and five seconds after the man advantage ended, Dzingel scored for the Senators, with assists from Chris Tierney and Ryan. The sequence of slick passing ended with Dzingel roofing his shot over Bobrovsky. Columbus tied the score 1-1 on a goal by Werenski, who one-timed a cross-ice feed from Panarin. With 16:01 left in the third, Dubois struck again, scoring on a rebound off an Atkinson shot, giving Columbus a 2-1 lead. Another Dubois goal, this one with 8:45 left in the third, was offset by Ryan's tally just 21 seconds later. Dzingel's goal with 6:26 left in the third tied the score 3-3 before Columbus finished strong. 

(With inputs from agencies.)