Columbus, OH – Mark Letestu registered a goal and an assist on Tuesday to help the Columbus Blue Jackets continue their longest point streak in team history with a 4-3 victory over the Nashville Predators at Nationwide Arena.
Nikita Nikitin, Derick Brassard and Fedor Tyutin each scored once for the Blue Jackets, who have registered at least one point in a franchise-record 11 consecutive games (7-0-4).
"Doing the right things breeds the winning for us," Letestu said of his team's point streak. "Now the success is coming. Now you see the confidence coming out in a lot of guys."
Sergei Bobrovsky posted 32 saves to improve to 7-0-2 in his last nine games.
Mike Fisher, Chris Mueller and Gabriel Bourque netted a goal apiece for the Preds, who have lost four in a row.
"It's just frustrating to lose," Bourque admitted. "Nobody likes to lose but we just have to refocus as a group. We just have to keep working and everything will be alright."
Pekka Rinne allowed all four goals on 31 shots in the setback.
After failing on a pair of power-play opportunities in a scoreless first frame, the Blue Jackets finally broke through early in the second when Tyutin flipped a shot on net from the left point that slipped through a screen and past Rinne to make it 1-0 at the 4:08 mark.
Columbus continued to pour on the offense before adding another marker just over 5 1/2 minutes later when Vinny Prospal slid a pass from the right point to the low right side for Letestu, who snuck a wrister past the short-side of Rinne to make it 2-0 at 9:39.
Nashville cut into its deficit later in the second, as Roman Josi skated into the high slot and ripped a shot on net that deflected off Bourque in front and skipped past Bobrovsky to make it 2-1 at the 14:45 mark.
The Blue Jackets restored their two-goal edge while on the power play halfway through the final stanza, as Nikitin fired a one-timer from the high slot that sailed high over the glove-side shoulder of Rinne for a 3-1 lead at the 10:00 mark.
Columbus added to its cushion under three minutes later when Letestu skated down the right wing and into the zone before sliding a pass into the slot for a trailing Brassard, who rifled a shot from just inside the left circle that beat Rinne to the far side to make it 4-1 at the 12:41 mark.
Nashville wouldn't go quietly however, as the Preds potted a pair of goals just 47 seconds apart to pull within 4-3 with 1:14 remaining.
The first came at the 17:59 mark when Mueller took a behind-the-net feed from Ryan Clune and pounded home a one-timer from in front to make it 4-2.
Then, just under a minute later, Fisher recovered a rebound in front and buried a backhander to bring Nashville within one with just over a minute left.
Nashville would get no closer, however, as Bobrovsky stood tall between the pipes over the final minute to secure the victory for the Blue Jackets.
Game Notes
Tyutin's goal was his 200th career NHL point and 134th with Columbus, making him the highest scoring defenseman in club history ... Columbus improved to 9-4-5 at home this season ... Columbus has taken both meetings this season, including a 3-2 shootout win on Jan. 19 ... These two teams will meet again on Saturday in Nashville ... Prospal finished with three assists to give him 501 for his career ... Jack Johnson posted two assists for Columbus, while Shea Weber registered a pair of helpers for the Preds ... Columbus defenseman Dalton Prout registered an assist on Letestu's goal for his first NHL point.
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