Patrik Laine scores on first shot, Columbus Blue Jackets beat Calgary Flames 3-1

Patrik Laine scored on Columbus’ first shot and the Blue Jackets broke a three-game losing streak, beating the Calgary Flames 3-1 on Friday night.
Eric Robinson and Sean Kuraly also scored to help Columbus end a six-game home losing streak. Joonas Korpisalo stopped 12 shots in the first period before suffering a lower-body injury. He was replaced in the second by Elvis Merzlikins, who stopped 21 shots.
“We had a good start and that helped,” Blue Jackets coach Brad Larsen said.
“You get a goal early on, you get one there and take a breath. We had good energy. This was a heck of a game by a lot of guys — a really good effort all the way through.”
Michael Stone scored for Calgary and Jacob Markstrom stopped 23 shots in his first start after sitting out three games. The Flames had won three in a row.
Laine opened the scoring at 1:02 of the first period and Robinson made it 2-0 on a breakaway at 2:52 of the second.
“I could have had four or five tonight," Laine said.
"We were pretty happy with the way the offence was going. All four lines played good offence and defence.”
Playing with an extra skater, Stone cut the lead in half with 2:34 left in the third with a shot from the blue line. Kuraly sealed it, scoring an empty-netter with 24 seconds left.
“I think our defence struggled mightily with the puck and in coverage for the whole game,” Calgary coach Darryl Sutter said.
“Some guys came for a visit, not to try and win the hockey game. Very disappointed.”
ON A STREAK
Laine’s goal extended his point streak to three games. With his assist on Kuraly’s goal, Boone Jenner has collected points in five of his past six games. Jack Roslovic’s assist on Laine’s goal was his fourth in five games.
FAMILIAR FACES
Blue Jackets forward Johnny Gaudreau played his first game as an opponent of the Calgary Flames. Gaudreau spent nine years with Calgary, skating in 602 games with 609 points (210-399). Defenceman Erik Gudbranson also came over from the Flames in the off-season, having skated in 78 games with 17 points including six goals and eleven assists, all of which were career bests.
NO POWER
Columbus and Calgary combined for 13 penalties, six for Columbus and seven for Calgary, but were both fruitless on the power play.
RECALL
The Flames recalled forwards Matthew Phillips and Radim Zohorna from the AHL and assigned Kevin Rooney.
UP NEXT
Flames: At Toronto on Saturday night.
Blue Jackets: Host Los Angeles Sunday night.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories

'The only choice': Defence Department going with Boeing to replace aging Aurora fleet
The federal government is buying at least 14 Boeing surveillance planes from the United States to replace the aging CP-140 Aurora fleet, cabinet ministers announced Thursday. The deal costs more than $10.3 billion in total, including US$5.9 billion for the jets themselves, and the planes are expected to be delivered in 2026 and 2027.
Blasted by Bloc, Conservative MP apologizes for asking minister to speak English
Conservative MP Rachael Thomas has apologized after drawing criticism from other members of Parliament for asking Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge to answer questions in English at a committee meeting.
Jaw-dropping video shows collapse at Coquitlam, B.C., construction site
Emergency work is underway after a collapse at a Coquitlam, B.C., construction site that was caught on camera this week.
NHL veteran Perry apologizes for 'inappropriate' behaviour, says he is seeking help
Corey Perry says he has started seeking help for his struggles with alcohol following his release from the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks.
Filmmakers in Bruce Peninsula 'accidentally' discover 128-year-old shipwreck
Yvonne Drebert and Zach Melnick were looking for invasive mussels when they found something no one has laid eyes on for 128 years.
Israeli military confirms release of 8 more Israeli hostages from captivity in Gaza Strip
Hamas freed eight Israeli hostages Thursday in exchange for Israel's release of more Palestinian prisoners under a last-minute deal to extend their ceasefire in Gaza by another day.
On 1st day, UN climate conference sets up fund for countries hit by disasters like flood and drought
Nearly all the world's nations on Thursday finalized the creation of a fund to help compensate countries struggling to cope with loss and damage caused by climate change, seen as a major first-day breakthrough at this year's UN climate conference
B.C. man tries to appeal driving ban by claiming his designated driver crashed his Mercedes, fled the scene
B.C.'s Supreme Court has upheld a 90-day driving ban for a man who refused to give a breath sample after crashing his Mercedes into a ditch – rejecting his claim that an "unnamed designated driver" was behind the wheel and fled the scene.
Suspect arrested in Morocco could be behind Ontario bomb threats, OPP says
Investigators have 'strong reason' to believe that a suspect taken into custody in Morocco could be behind numerous bomb threats across Ontario in early November, police say.