COLUMBUS, Ohio _ It was a night full of booing that ended with a bang, literally from a cannon, plus a bunch of cheering Tuesday night at Nationwide Arena.
After a game filled with big saves, Zach Werenski finally ended a goalie duel between Blue Jackets goalie Elvis Merzlikins and last season's starter, Sergei Bobrovsky, by scoring 1:54 into overtime to give his team a 1-0 victory over the Florida Panthers.
"I think it's mostly just opportunity and bearing down on my chances," said Werenski, who scored into the short side for his fourth goal in the past two games against Bobrovsky. "He's a hell of a goalie. I don't think there's any advantages (to being a former teammate). I've just had my chances and I'm finding ways to score on them."
That was a lot easier said than done. There was a lot more on booing for Bobrovsky's second trip to Nationwide Arena since leaving as a free agent and the main reason was his success stopping pucks.
Bobrovsky made 44 saves to ensure the Panthers (29-17-6) earned at least a point and kept it 0-0 for most of a game that the Blue Jackets controlled. Merzlikins made 32 saves for his fourth shutout _ all since Joonas Korpisalo suffered a meniscus tear Dec. 29 _ but he wasn't the only reason Florida couldn't score.
The Blue Jackets also blocked 14 shots in front of him and played strong defensively, often breaking up plays before they got started.
"I thought it was one of our better games we've played, offensively and defensively," coach John Tortorella said. "I thought both teams defended really well."
Unlike New Year's Eve, when Bobrovsky was given a video tribute in his first return, there was nothing warm or fuzzy about his second trip back. He was booed during starting lineups, booed once the game began and booed even louder after Boone Jenner's first-period goal was overturned by a challenge for goaltender interference.
He earned those jeers, though, with stellar play in net _ just as much as Merzlikins drew cheers for his saves.
The Blue Jackets poured on shots, forcing Bobrovsky to come up with key stops, and came up with a big penalty kill between the end of the second period and start of the third.
They also made up for an apparent goal by Jenner that was overturned at 6:06 of the first, when the NHL's situation room in Toronto conferred with the on-ice referees to rule that Cam Atkinson's stick interfered with Bobrovsky's glove.
