BJORKSTRAND NETS FRANCHISE FIRST AS BLUE JACKETS WIN SIXTH STRAIGHT

In a contest that featured three game-tying goals, Oliver Bjorkstrand (2-0—2) tied the game in the second period and scored the eventual game-winning goal in the final frame to propel the Blue Jackets (27-16-8, 62 points) to their sixth straight win.

* Columbus retook the Eastern Conference’s first Wild Card spot heading into NHL All-Star Weekend. The trio of Columbus, Carolina (29-18-3, 61 points) and Philadelphia (27-17-6, 60 points) have alternated positioning over the last 11 days.

* The Blue Jackets, who posted their 15th comeback win of the season, kept pace with the Islanders (29-15-5, 63 points) in the Metropolitan Division standings after the latter doubled up the Rangers (23-21-4, 50 points) Tuesday. Columbus finds itself in the playoff picture on the heels of an 11-14-4 start through Dec. 8 and sat a season-high 11 standings points behind Carolina for the Eastern Conference’s final playoff position.

* Since the Blue Jackets began a 12-game point streak on Dec. 9 (8-0-4 from Dec. 9 – Jan. 2), they have registered a League-leading 16 wins and 36 points (16-2-4, 36 points).

* Bjorkstrand netted his second multi-goal game in as many contests after also doing so in his return to the Blue Jackets lineup on Jan. 19. The 24-year-old, who also scored twice on Dec. 21, 2019 against the Devils, became the first Blue Jackets player to register a multi-goal performance in three consecutive appearances. Alex Ovechkin (3 GP from Jan. 13 - 18) and Patrice Bergeron (3 GP from Dec. 21 – 27, 2019) are the only other players to accomplish the feat in 2019-20.

* Columbus’ third-round pick (89th overall) in the 2013 NHL Draft also accomplished another franchise feat Wednesday with his third game-winning goal in as many appearances. Bjorkstrand matched a Blue Jackets franchise mark for longest stretch of consecutive appearances with a game-winning goal - first accomplished by Artem Anisimov (3 GP from March 1-4, 2014) and matched by Seth Jones (3 GP from March 8-12, 2018).

35-YEAR-OLD STAAL’S MULTI-POINT GAME LEADS WILD RALLY. . .
Eric Staal, set to make his sixth All-Star Game appearance, factored in on two of three unanswered Minnesota goals as the Wild (23-21-6, 52 points) recorded their 13th comeback win of 2019-20.

* Staal, who was honored in a pre-game ceremony for recently eclipsing the 1,000-point milestone on Dec. 15, registered his 235th career multi-point outing. Sharks forward Joe Thornton paces all active players with 385 such performances.

. . . WHILE 20-YEAR OLD ZADINA REGISTERS FIRST NHL MULTI-GOAL GAME

Twenty-year-old Red Wings forward Filip Zadina, tied for the second-most goals among rookies since Jan. 1, has found the score sheet in three of his last four games. With his first career multi-goal game, the sixth-overall pick in the 2018 NHL Draft boosted his season totals to 8-7—15 in 26 games.

QUICK CLICKS

* Goal of the Decade: Patrick Kane's 2010 Stanley Cup winner in OT for Blackhawks

* Matthew Tkachuk replacing Auston Matthews on Atlantic Division in NHL All-Star Game

* Matt Dumba helps stranded family fill gas tank, escape cold after game

* Shea Weber looking forward to hardest shot competition at All-Star Weekend

* Anthony Duclair has come long way to make NHL All-Star Game with Senators

SEASON SHIFTS TO ST. LOUIS FOR 2020 HONDA NHL ALL-STAR FESTIVITIES

Starting today, the 2019-20 season will take a four-day break from regular-season games for 2020 Honda NHL All-Star Weekend, which will be hosted by the reigning Stanley Cup champion Blues at Enterprise Center in St. Louis.

The weekend will include the 2020 NHL Fan Fair (Jan. 23-26), the 2020 NHL All-Star Media Day presented by adidas on Thursday, Jan. 23, the 2020 NHL All-Star Skills presented by New Amsterdam Vodka on Friday, Jan. 24 and the 2020 Honda NHL All-Star Game on Saturday, Jan. 25.

Thanks to the NHL PR department for the information above.