RALEIGH, N.C. -- For more than 60 minutes, the Columbus Blue Jackets just couldnt manage to give their power-play unit a chance. Once they finally went up a man in overtime, Ryan Johansen made it count. Johansen scored a power-play goal at 2:40 of the extra session to lead Columbus past the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2 on Saturday night. "I was talking to the ref, I was like, Come on, we need a power play," Johansen said with a laugh. "We have confidence in our power play, so if we get opportunities, we feel were at least going to get a lot of momentum out of it and get some chances." Artem Anisimov had a goal and an assist and Matt Calvert also scored to help the Blue Jackets earn an important two points in their push for the second playoff berth in club history and first since 2009. "We can pat ourselves on the back for this one, but starting (Sunday) and the day after, weve got to move on," defenceman Dalton Prout said. "Theres still lots of work to be done, and for the most part, we control our own fate. Its a good feeling." Jeff Skinner and Andrei Loktionov scored and Riley Nash had two assists for the Hurricanes, who fell to 6-11 since the Olympic break. "We seem to be finding ways ... to lose," Carolina captain Eric Staal said. "Its not like were completely out of it every night. Were in the battle. "For whatever reason, we cant seem to get that one that falls for us and it goes the other direction," Staal added. "Our compete, our work ethic, for the most part has been there. Weve got guys that care. Weve got guys that try. Thats not our problem." Curtis McElhinney made 25 saves for Columbus in his second straight start in place of flu-stricken starter Sergei Bobrovsky. The decisive sequence started midway through OT when Brandon Dubinsky rang the left post. Goalie Anton Khudobin couldnt cover the puck, but forward Jiri Tlusty did -- drawing a delay of game penalty and giving the Blue Jackets their first power play of the night at 1:54. Johansen then ended it with a snap shot from between the circles that trickled past Khudobin, who stopped 29 shots in his second consecutive start for Carolina. Loktionov put the Hurricanes up 2-1 when he took a feed from Nash in the circle and snapped the puck past McElhinney with 13:22 left. But for the second time in the game, the Blue Jackets struck back quickly to tie it. This time it was Anisimov, who pushed the rebound of Nathan Hortons shot past Khudobin 50 seconds later. "We found a way to claw back," Johansen said. These teams entered on opposite ends of the playoff spectrum, with the Blue Jackets taking the ice in a four-way tie for two Eastern Conference wild cards. Carolina is mathematically alive for just its second post-season berth since winning the 2006 Stanley Cup, but the Hurricanes -- who entered seven points behind that cluster of four teams -- have a long way to go to catch up. "We dont think were out yet," coach Kirk Muller said. "Were going to push." For much of this game, offensive chances were few for both teams. Khudobin made the save of the night midway through the first period when he slid across the net to thwart Blake Comeau on a 2-on-1. "They knew we were on a back-to-back with travel," Prout said. "They came out hard and I think they carried the play. But we weathered the storm and I think we fought back." The scoring pace picked up near the end of the second: Skinner finally broke through for Carolina when he scored with 3:31 left in the second. He snatched the rebound of rookie Elias Lindholms shot and chipped the puck over defenceman David Savard for his team-leading third goal this season against Columbus. Calvert tied it with 1:14 left in the period when he snapped the puck past Khudobin after a takeaway -- the first goal allowed by the Hurricanes goalie in a span of 121 minutes, 49 seconds. NOTES: Calvert has goals in two straight games. ... Skinner has a four-game points streak and has four points in five games against the Blue Jackets this season. Cheap Nike Jerseys . NORRIS COLE (Heat): Its funny, you watch a guy play and now really produce and it just jumps off the page at you - why? You put a young player with potential in a winning environment where there is veteran leadership, outstanding coaching and management and a way that things are done and its a wonderful environment for growth, improvement in a climate of constant accountability and expectation of achievement/production. Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping . Just ask Arsenal fans. However, Arsene Wenger has repeatedly told anyone willing to listen that finishing in that spot is more important than winning a cup competition. https://www.fakejerseyswholesale.com/ . - Derek Wolfe says hes finally healthy after suffering a seizure in November that doctors now believe was related to the spinal cord injury he suffered in the preseason. Stitched Jerseys . Though the 26-year-old said he was able to participate, coach Dwane Casey kept Johnson out as a precaution. Cyber Monday Jerseys . Jimmy Howard made 44 saves and Henrik Zetterberg scored two goals, leading the Detroit Red Wings to a 5-1 victory over the Dallas Stars on Saturday night.CONCORD, N.C. -- Sprint Cup points leader Jeff Gordon cut short his practice because of back spasms and the No. 24 team has Regan Smith on standby should the four-time champion not be able to run the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday night. Gordon went just 11 laps Saturday before he told his crew he couldnt continue. He left out of a side door of his hauler and was escorted out of the track to get treatment. Crew chief Alan Gustafson said the team would not run the car in the final practice session and instead will get it ready for Sundays race. "Ive had some spasms in the past, but this one, it was a little bit different," said the 42-year-old Gordon. "And so I just want to really be cautious and take care of it. It doesnt do me any good to be in the car right now." Gustafson said the plan was for Gordon to start the longest event in NASCAR. Should the pain be too much, then Smith would take over the Hendrick Motorsports car. Gustafson said Gordon felt back pain after qualifying Thursday night and had hoped things would improve before Saturdays practice sessions. But "after the first run, we talked about it and it was pretty detrimental to him physically to continue," Gustafson said. Gordon said on Twitter he planned to rest and "be ready for 600 miles 2moro." The four-time series champion is having one of the steadiest starts of his career with eight top-10 finishes in the first 11 races. Gordon moved into the points lead following a second-place finish at Texas Motor Speedwway in early April and hes stayed out front ever since.dddddddddddd He cemented his place in the Sprint Cups championship Chase two weeks ago with a victory at Kansas Speedway. Gordon will start 27th and hope his back holds out for 400 laps around the 1.5-mile race track. "Luckily, we had a good 11 laps there and weve got our teammates and information that were going to be able to gather from them," Gordon said. "Its all coming together very fast right now." Gordon has had back spasms in the past and even considered retiring because of the severe pain. Regular treatment has kept the pain mostly in check and Gustafson hopes that will be the case again for Sunday. Doctors "will get him in the best condition he can and get him ready to run tomorrow," Gustafson said. This weeks race marks the 20th anniversary of Gordons first Sprint Cup victory. His crew chief then, Ray Evernham, said Gordon is much tougher than some believe and has raced through illness and pain before. "We won the Southern 500 (at Darlington) when he started throwing up halfway" through the race, said Evernham, currently working for Hendrick Motorsports. Evernham said Gordon believes his car is ready and is being smart by not hurting himself further by practicing. "Hell do everything he needs to do to get to feeling good and I know him and tomorrow night in that car, he may need some help getting out of it, but when hes in it, hes going to be at 100 per cent," Evernham said. ' ' '