CHICAGO — Sean Monahan had a goal and assist, and the Columbus Blue Jackets extended their points streak to six games with a 6-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday.
Kent Johnson scored for the second straight game to run his points streak to nine games, and Ivan Provorov, Dante Fabbro, Kirill Marchenko and Dmitri Voronkov also connected for Columbus. Zach Werenski’s two assists extended his points streak to eight games.
Connor Bedard had a power-play goal and assist for Chicago, which dropped its second straight. Craig Smith and Nick Foligno also scored power-play goals.
Elvis Merzlikins made 28 saves in his sixth straight start. Petr Mrazek blocked 30 shots.
Bedard, the NHL’s leading rookie scorer last season, has two goals and two assists in three games after a 12-game goal-scoring drought.
Blue Jackets: Johnson has four goals and three assists in five games since returning from a shoulder injury that sidelined him for 14 games. The fifth overall draft pick in 2021, Johnson injured his left shoulder in February, underwent surgery, then returned to start the season.
Blackhawks: Chicago scored first for the 14th time in 24 games and had three power-play goals for the second time this season. But at 8-14-2 and 18 points, Chicago is last in the NHL.
When Chicago scored, Columbus responded. Bedard opened the scoring 2:59; Provorov tied it 1:28 later. Smith tied it at 2-all 3 minutes into the second, then Monahan restored the Blue Jackets’ lead 1:50 later. Marchenko netted his 10th goal at 10:52 of the third, less than three minutes after Foligno cut Columbus’ lead to 4-3.
Johnson has points in each of the nine games he’s played this season, and six goals and six assists total.
The Blue Jackets play at Calgary on Tuesday. The Blackhawks visit Toronto on Monday.
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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
