Marchenko gets deciding goal of shootout to give Blue Jackets 4-3 win over Canadiens

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Kirill Marchenko scored the deciding goal of the shootout, and the Columbus Blue Jackets beat the Montreal Canadiens 4-3 on Monday night.

Zach Werenski and Dmitri Voronkov had a goal and an assist, and Adam Fantilli also scored in regulation as Columbus extended its point streak to five games (3-0-2). Jet Greaves finished with 29 saves.

Lane Hutson had a goal and an assist, and Josh Anderson and Oliver Kapanen also scored for Montreal, which has lost four straight (0-3-1) and six of seven (1-3-3). Jakub Dobes had 20 saves.

Kent Johnson also scored in the tiebreaker for Columbus, and Cole Caufield tallied for Montreal.

After Marchenko gave the Blue Jackets the lead in the third round of the shootout, Greaves stopped an attempt by Ivan Demidov to preserve the win.

Montreal outshot Columbus 6-0 in a scoreless overtime.

Trailing 3-1 after two periods, the Canadiens scored twice in the third to tie the score.

Anderson, cutting to the net, knocked the puck down and put it in from the left side at 8:28 to pull Montreal within one.

Hutson beat Greaves from above the left circle through traffic with 1:19 to go in regulation to tie it 3-3.

Fantilli gave the Blue Jackets a 2-1 lead at 9:47 of the second, scoring from in front.

Voronkov made it a two-goal lead with a power-play goal with 6:28 left in the middle period, deflecting Marchenko's pass at the left doorstep.

Werenski got the Blue Jackets on the scoreboard first, scoring from the edge of the left circle 6:58 into the game.

Kapanen tied it for the Canadiens at 4:47 of the second, scoring from the slot off a pass from behind the goal line by Mike Matheson.

Up next

Canadiens: Host Washington on Thursday night.

Blue Jackets: At Winnipeg on Tuesday night.

AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL

Columbus Blue Jackets right wing Yegor Chinakhov (59) blocks a shot by Montreal Canadiens center Jake Evans (71) in front of goaltender Jet Greaves (73) in the first period of an NHL hockey game in Columbus, Monday, Nov. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Jet Greaves (73) blocks a shot by Montreal Canadiens left wing Juraj Slafkovsky (20) in the first period of an NHL hockey game in Columbus, Monday, Nov. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes (75) stops a shot by Columbus Blue Jackets center Cole Sillinger (4) in the first period of an NHL hockey game in Columbus, Monday, Nov. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Jet Greaves (73) blocks a shot by Montreal Canadiens center Jake Evans (71) as center Isac Lundestrom moves in to assist in the first period of an NHL hockey game in Columbus, Monday, Nov. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Columbus Blue Jackets left wing Dmitri Voronkov (10) celebrates his goal with teammates in the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Montreal Canadiens in Columbus, Monday, Nov. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Ferran Torres scored a hat trick, Lamine Yamal converted a penalty and Roony Bardghji shone in a rare start as Barcelona roared back to win at Real Betis 5-3 in La Liga on Saturday.

Barcelona’s rout of fifth-placed Betis in Seville increased its lead to four points over Real Madrid before it hosts Celta Vigo on Sunday.

Torres has grown from a bench player to become Hansi Flick’s most used striker. The Spain forward has more starts than Robert Lewandowski, who at 37 is seeing his playing time reduced.

Torres leads Barcelona in scoring with 13 goals across all competitions. He has 11 in La Liga through 15 rounds, surpassing his 10 in the league all of last season. Only Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé with 16 has more in this campaign.

“I already knew that I could be a starter here in Barcelona and fight for this spot,” Torres said. “Now we have to go for more. The most important thing was our ability to respond to their early goal.”

It was a fourth career hat trick for Torres, who also bagged three goals at Betis in a 4-2 win last year.

Bardghji impressed in his third start since the 20-year-old Sweden winger joined Barcelona from Copenhagen in the summer. His dribbling was electric, and he provided a cross for Torres to score the go-ahead goal before he made it 3-1 with a powerful strike from just inside the area.

Lewandowski and Raphinha never left the bench for Barcelona. That leaves them rested for when Eintracht Frankfurt arrive on Tuesday in the Champions League.

The game featured a tactical novelty for Barcelona: Yamal spent most of the match playing in an interior, creative midfield role rather than on the right wing.

Yamal remained in sync with his teammates, participating in the passing move that led to Torres’ first goal. He converted the penalty in the 59th for Barcelona's fifth after a shot by Marcus Rashford hit the raised arm of Marc Bartra.

Flick said he asked Yamal if he was ready to play at the “10 spot” and Yamal agreed. Above all, his coach praised Yamal’s work in defense.

“He played a fantastic game and it gives us one or two more options,” Flick said.

Betis eased the pain with late goals by Diego Llorente and Cucho Hernández's penalty after Koundé fouled Abde in the box.

Manuel Pellegrini’s Betis was flying high coming into the game having beaten fierce city rival Sevilla in the previous round and was unbeaten in eight games overall. Betis will be overtaken by Espanyol on Sunday if it gets a draw with Rayo Vallecano.

Fermín López returned as a second-half substitute after the Barcelona midfielder missed two games with a leg injury.

Tajon Buchanan and Georges Mikautadze scored to help Villarreal beat Getafe 2-0 and stay in third place, one point behind Madrid.

Athletic Bilbao beat fourth-placed Atletico Madrid 1-0 before the Basque club faces Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Alex Berenguer scored from a pass by Nico Williams with five minutes remaining.

Alaves upset Real Sociedad 1-0 in a regional derby.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Barcelona's Ferran Torres celebrates after scoring his side second goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Betis and Barcelona in Seville, Spain, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (AP Phot/Manu Reino)

Betis' Antony celebrates after scoring the opening goal of the game during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Betis and Barcelona in Seville, Spain, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (AP Phot/Manu Reino)

Barcelona's Ferran Torres celebrates after scoring his side second goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Betis and Barcelona in Seville, Spain, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (AP Phot/Manu Reino)

Barcelona's Roony Bardghji celebrates after scoring his sides third goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Betis and Barcelona in Seville, Spain, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (AP Phot/Manu Reino)

Barcelona's Lamine Yamal celebrates after scoring his sides 5th goal from the penalty spot during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Betis and Barcelona in Seville, Spain, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (AP Phot/Manu Reino)

Barcelona's Ferran Torres celebrates after scoring his side 4th goal and his third goal of the game during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Betis and Barcelona in Seville, Spain, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (AP Phot/Manu Reino)