Olivier, Coyle lead way as Blue Jackets hold off Oilers

COLUMBUS – Mathieu Olivier and Charlie Coyle each had three points, and the Columbus Blue Jackets defeated the Edmonton Oilers 5-4 at Nationwide Arena on Thursday.

The Blue Jackets almost let a 5-2 third-period lead slip away, three days after they saw a 4-2 third-period lead against the Oilers in Edmonton turn into a 5-4 overtime loss on Monday.

Coyle said the Blue Jackets tried not to think about that defeat.

“We all know what has happened recently, but I think when you start to let those thoughts creep in, you're going to end up in whatever you're thinking about,” Coyle said. “It's up to us to say, ‘Hey, let's learn from it, let's turn it over, let's get the job done this time.’ ”

Olivier had two goals and an assist, and Coyle had a goal and two assists for the Blue Jackets (9-7-1). Adam Fantilli scored for the third straight game and Jet Greaves made 25 saves.

Kirill Marchenko had an assist to extend his point streak to 10 games (12 points; three goals, nine assists).

“It feels like we controlled most of the play, but they're extremely dangerous obviously,” Olivier said. “Some of the best players in the world over there, so it's not an easy task to shut them down, but we found a way and that's all that matters in the end.”

Leon Draisaitl scored twice, Evan Bouchard had three assists and Calvin Pickard made 20 saves for the Oilers (8-7-4).

Connor McDavid had two assists to extend his point streak to seven games (13 points; four goals, nine assists).

“I thought we were a little too soft around the nets, whether they were deflecting pucks or getting inside of us, multiple goals like that,” Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said.

The Oilers won each of their past two games in overtime -- defeating the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1 on Wednesday -- but Knoblauch liked the energy.

“The momentum that we had in the third period, we felt that was probably the best we played but especially starting with (Vasily Podkolzin’s) goal in the third,” he said. “I thought we had a really good push and I thought we didn't show any signs of having the back to back.”

Olivier gave Columbus a 1-0 lead at 15:36 of the first period on a tip of Coyle’s shot.

Coyle scored 44 seconds into the second period to make it 2-0 after Olivier stole the puck from McDavid and fed him at the crease.

Matt Savoie cut it to 2-1 at 8:09, redirecting Bouchard’s shot, and Draisaitl tied it 2-2 at 9:49 with a one-timer from the right circle off a pass by Bouchard.

Denton Mateychuk made it 3-2 for the Blue Jackets at 10:19, scoring short side from the right circle off a rebound.

A goal by McDavid to make it 3-3 was overturned at 11:30 when the Blue Jackets successfully challenged that Draisaitl was offside.

Fantilli upped the score to 4-2 for Columbus at 18:20, tucking in a loose rebound at the left post.

Olivier made it 5-2 at 7:30 of the third period, setting up in the slot and scoring off a pass from below the net from Coyle.

“We were giving up too many looks from the slot, making (Pickard) make too many big saves,” Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse said.

The Oilers pulled to within 5-3 at 7:57 on a goal by Podkolzin from the slot.

“We almost let it go, right?” Blue Jackets coach Dean Evason said of Draisaitl and McDavid. “Obviously, pretty special players, you know, and we tried to do everything we could, obviously, to take those opportunities away where they score.”

Draisaitl made it 5-4 at 11:27 with a wrist shot from the right circle and the Oilers were buzzing the net as time expired.

“We know these points are going to make a difference at the end of the year,” Fantilli said. “They did for us last year, so just any time we can get a point, a win, it's huge for us.”

NOTES: The Blue Jackets have played one-goal games in eight of their past 10, going 5-2-1 in those eight. ... The Blue Jackets have won five straight vs. the Oilers at Nationwide Arena. The last Oilers win was 4-1 on Oct. 30, 2019. … Marchenko is the fifth Blue Jackets player with a double-digit point streak. Ryan Johansen did it twice, with a 13-game streak in 2014-15 the longest. The others are Cam Atkinson (12, 2018-19), Patrik Laine (11, 2021-22) and R.J. Umberger (10, 2010-11). … Bouchard extended his point streak to three games (five points; goal, four assists).