COLUMBUS, Ohio _ It was a repeat performance by the Blue Jackets on Saturday night at Nationwide Arena, but this time they didn't need a late goal to win.
Instead, they made up for a sluggish start in the second period _ scoring four goals to turn a nail-biter against the New Jersey Devils into a 5-0 blowout win and Elvis Merzlikins' third shutout in the past four games.
"We played better in the third," coach John Tortorella said. "I don't want to criticize, but I just thought (the Devils) knew it was 5-0 and a lot of wind came out of their sails, as far as our goaltending. But don't kid ourselves in how this team played: We were not good, and Elvis deserves a tremendous amount of credit as far as finding our way tonight."
Other than the final score, it was reminiscent of what happened Thursday against the Carolina Hurricanes, when Nick Foligno's goal late in the third period bailed out the Blue Jackets in a 3-2 win that otherwise was dominated by the visitors.
Despite struggling to clear their own zone again, not to mention a continuing issue with puck possession, the Jackets disposed of the Devils (17-24-7) for the second time this season in cruise-control fashion.
They were outshot 41-31 and finished with 21 fewer attempted shots (69-48) _ measures that also stacked heavily against them Thursday _ but it didn't matter, thanks largely to Merzlikins in the defensive zone and Cam Atkinson's offense.
Merzlikins made 21 saves in the first period, 15 in the second and five more in the third for the third shutout of his brief NHL career _ all since taking over the Jackets' net after Joonas Korpisalo suffered a torn meniscus in his left knee Dec. 29.
Merzlikins earned the game's No. 1 star honor and left the ice to the sound of Blue Jackets fans chanting his name while an Elvis Presley song blared throughout the building.
"I don't feel anymore that shaking, that nervous (feeling)," said Merzlikins, a 25-year-old rookie. "I pretty much kind of know well my home, my net, my posts, and I just feel comfortable."
Atkinson does, too, after his second straight multi-point outing since returning from a 12-game absence with a high-ankle sprain. After tallying five goals and two assists in nine games prior to his injury, Atkinson has picked right up where he left off.
He made it 1-0 at 14:49 of the first period, 2-0 at 8:40 of the second and then assisted on a goal by Alexander Wennberg with 1:06 left in that four-goal outburst. Foligno and Jakob Lilja also scored to break the game open, chasing Devils goalie Cory Schneider in the process.
