"Blue Jackets coach Scott Arniel doesn't have a doghouse. It's more like a kennel.

The first-year coach has scratched all sorts of breeds with all kinds of pedigrees: rookies, veterans, grinders, goal scorers.

But many of the players have emerged from their unwanted stay better for the experience. Left winger Kristian Huselius is the latest example.

A night after being a healthy scratch for the first time as a Jacket, Huselius registered two goals in a 4-3 win over the Edmonton Oilers in Nationwide Arena. He scored the winning goal with a four minutes remaining, finishing a 2-on-1 rush with Antoine Vermette by wiring a wrist shot past goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin.

"I wanted to make sure I made a good strong play," Huselius said. "If Vermy was open I would have made a pass, but I had a really good shot opportunity."

Huselius becomes the latest Jacket to respond positively to an Arniel benching. The list includes Jake Voracek, Fedor Tyutin and Jan Hejda.

"I think I'm going to end up having guys want to sit out games if they are going to come back and do that," Arniel said jokingly.

"I'm really glad the way he responded, but that's not about me, it's about him. He took control of the situation."

The coach said he scratched Huselius because he hadn't been the puck-dangling, play-making winger in recent weeks. The 32-year-old forward had rarely been effective or even noticeable since suffering a high ankle sprain on Oct. 23.

Prior to last night, he had scored in just three of the previous 21 games."