Blue Jackets breeze past Coyotes in season opener

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Oliver Bjorkstrand had two goals and two assists, Max Domi added a goal and two assists and the Columbus Blue Jackets made Brad Larsen a winner in his coaching debut with an 8-2 win over the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday night.

Alexandre Texier, Boone Jenner, Jake Bean, Zach Werenski and Gus Nyquist also scored for Columbus. Vladislav Gavrikov, Jakub Voracek and Jack Roslevic had two assists apiece as 13 Columbus players earned points in the opener.

Elvis Merzlikins stopped 36 shots in his first opening-night start.

“I didn’t think we played that well, but we found ways to score,” Larsen said. “That’s good. We have such a better game in us.

“Elvis was really good for us tonight. It was a strange 8-2 game. I’m happy to get the win. There are a lot of positives. But we have a lot of work to do.”

Anton Stralman and Clayton Keller scored for Arizona. Carter Hutton stopped 18 shots in his first game since joining Arizona from Buffalo. New coach Andre Tourigny lost his first game with the Coyotes.

“I don’t think the score reflects the game,” Tourigny said. “We broke down defensively. At some points, we got emotional, we got off our game. We did better things than the score showed.

“We have to be better defensively. We know how to fix it. We will fix it.”

The Blue Jackets wasted no time getting on the board as Domi, back from shoulder surgery a month earlier than expected, forced a turnover and fed Texier for a score 40 seconds into the first period.

Bjorkstrand made it 2-0 with a power-play goal at 14:05 of the first. Jenner scored off another Domi steal 35 seconds into a four-on-four situation in the second period, giving Columbus a three-goal lead.

“It’s never a bad way to start,” Bjorkstrand said. “Obviously, you can’t get too comfortable. There are things we can do better. It was a weird night. I thought they had the puck a lot, but we finished off. We have to get ready for the next one.”

Arizona cut it to 3-1 just 28 seconds later when Stralman, a former Blue Jackets defenseman, beat Merzlikins between the pads.

Bjorkstrand’s second goal came as a surprise. He swatted at a backhanded pass from Jack Roslevic at 11:10 of the second and beat Hutton to make it 4-1.

Bean, making his Columbus debut, extended the lead to 5-1 with a one-timer at 14:16 of the second. Zach Werenski’s power-play goal at 4:33 of the third made it 6-1.

Cole Sillinger’s assist on Domi’s goal at 8:48 of the third, which made it 7-1, was his first NHL point.

Keller’s power-play goal at 16:46 cut the lead to 7-2.

Nyquist scored the game’s final goal at 18:36 of the third.

THE 900 CLUB

Phil Kessel’s consecutive games played streak hit 901, putting him fifth all-time. It’s the third-longest active streak in the NHL, behind Keith Yandle, 922; and Patrick Marleau, 910.

UP NEXT

The Coyotes travel to Buffalo to face the Sabres on Saturday.