NEW YORK — Mathew Barzal had two goals and two assists, Bo Horvat also scored twice and picked up an assist, and the New York Islanders beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 7-3 on Thursday night.
Pierre Engvall, Cal Clutterbuck and Kyle Palmieri also scored for New York, which extended its point streak to four games (3-0-1). Semyon Varlamov finished with 32 saves in his first win at home this season.
Adam Fantilli scored twice and added an assist for the Blue Jackets, who lost their third straight. Emil Bremstrom also scored and Spencer Martin made 28 saves.
Columbus pulled within one early in the third period when Fantilli scored his second of the game at 1:27.
The Islanders have squandered third-period leads 11 times in nine games this season (3-1-5), including their previous game — a 5-4 overtime loss Tuesday to San Jose. But they responded Thursday and scored three consecutive goals after Fantilli’s second to stretch their lead to 7-3 and ease nerves on the bench.
Barzal buried a pass from Horvat at 5:33 and then Horvat scored two of his own to seal it.
New York got three goals within 4:49 late in the second period to open a 4-2 lead.
Barzal gave New York a 3-2 advantage when he corralled a loose puck and fired a shot past a sliding Martin at 18:51. Palmieri then finished a tic-tac-toe passing sequence at the back post for an easy tap-in goal on the power play in the final minute of the period.
Clutterbuck tied it at 2 with his fourth of the season. Hudson Fasching made a spinning pass from the boards and found the Islanders captain all alone in front.
Fantilli connected on a one-timer off a pass from Kent Johnson to give the Blue Jackets a 2-1 edge at 10:11 of the second. Columbus selected the 19-year-old Fantilli with the third selection in the 2023 NHL Draft.
Bremstrom buried a rebound at 5:56 of the second to knot the game at 1. Thursday marked the first time in NHL history that four players from the University of Michigan (Nick Blakenburg, Fantilli, Johnson, Zach Werenski) played on the same team and all four were on the ice for Bremstrom’s fourth goal of the season.
UP NEXT
Blue Jackets: Host the St. Louis Blues on Friday.
Islanders: Host the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday.
