The Wild took Matt Boldy off their top line this season in order to spread the scoring touch around their top three lines. Early returns indicate it was a good move.

Boldy, playing right wing with center Joel Eriksson Ek and left wing Marcus Johansson, had a goal and two assists as the second line paced the Wild to a 3-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets in the season opener for both teams Thursday at Xcel Energy Center.

The second line scored both of the Wild’s even-strength goals. Johansson had two assists, and Eriksson Ek scored the go-ahead goal late in the second period. In the third, Boldy had the first assist on Mats Zuccarello’s power play goal that gave the Wild some breathing room.

Filip Gustavsson, serving as the head of a three-goalie rotation that includes veteran Marc-Andre Fleury and rookie Jesper Wallstedt, was sharp in his season debut, stopping 30 of 32 shots, many tough stops at key junctures.

Kent Johnson scored for the Blue Jackets, coached by former Wild coach Dean Evason, and Columbus had the go-ahead goal negated in the second period after Minnesota successfully challenged for goalie interference.

Still, defenseman Zach Werenski scored on a power play at 17:06 remaining — after Jake Middleton was called for delay of game on a clear — and Evason pulled Merzlikins for an extra attacker with 1:21 left.

Gustavsson made three big saves in the final 30 seconds, and the Wild held on.

Midway through the third period, Boldy dug a puck out of the corner to set up a long cycle from the Wild’s first unit. He gave up a couple of good scoring chances to get the puck to an open player, then found Mats Zuccarello in the right circle with a cross ice pass. Zuccarello’s slap shot beat Elvis Merzlikins 5 hole for a 3-1 lead at 9:58.

Boldy, who had a breakaway opportunity broken up by Zach Werenski early in the first period, finally broke the seal with a snap shot from the right circle that sneaked through traffic — and a screen by Eriksson Ek — and past Merzlikins with 2:09 left in the first period.
The Blue Jackets tied the game early in the second and dominated play for most of the period. Kent Johnson’s turnaround shot from the slot beat Gustavsson high to the blocker side to tie the game at 2:00.

Columbus appeared to take a 2-1 lead midway through the second on a shot from the point, but James Van Riemsdyk, screening on the play, tripped Gustavsson as the Wild goalie attempted to block the shot.

The Wild challenged for goalie interference and won, but the Blue Jackets kept their momentum, hitting a post on a breakaway and setting up camp in the Wild’s zone until late in the period.

The Wild broke the momentum, and the tie, on the second round of a cycle in the Jackets’ zone. After Jake Middleton pinched to keep the zone, Boldly sent the puck to Marcus Johansson at the red line, and Johansson fired to a charging Eriksson Ek, whose one-timer beat Merzlikins top shelf to a 2-1 lead at 16:35.

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