Late Goals Sink Blue Jackets

October 28, 2008 by J. Justin Boggs

Columbus carried the momentum for the better part of the game Monday night, but a dismal finish to the game gave the Anaheim Ducks a 3-2 victory in Nationwide Arena.

The Blue Jackets drop to 3-6 on the season, and have lost three straight. Anaheim now has a four game winning streak, all of which on the road. The Ducks are back to .500 at 5-5.

"We’ve had games we should have won, we’re not playing a full 60 minutes," Blue Jackets captain Rick Nash said. "We’ve had some good timing, but we’ll start winning when we play 60 minutes."

Though Anaheim took a lead just 1:17 into the game on a Ryan Getzlaf goal, Columbus controlled the tempo and pace of the game the first two periods. Columbus outshot Anaheim 24-14 through two periods and had a 2-1 lead.

"We had complete control of the hockey game, we played a great hockey game, and we gave it away," Columbus Blue Jackets coach Ken Hitchcock said. "For us to win, with the amount of goals we’re scoring, we have to play 60 minutes of great hockey. And we played 50 minutes."

Anaheim scored a goal to tie the game midway through the third when Ducks defenseman Steve Montador’s slap shot from the blue line was deflected into the net by forward Corey Perry.

Anaheim took the lead for good on the power play with less than four minutes left in the game. Columbus lost a power play opportunity when Jason Chimera interfered with a Ducks forward while the two were battling for a loose puck in the Blue Jackets defensive zone.

Shortly thereafter, Perry took a shot that bounced off the right post and Teemu Selanne put the rebound into the back of the net. Columbus would not get any good scoring chances the rest of the game.

The Blue Jackets could not get many scoring opportunities on the power play. They finished the night 0-6 and only registering four power play shots on goal.

"It was not good enough to win, and we have to find a way to get the puck back and shoot the puck and make traffic in the net," Blue Jackets rookie forward Derrick Brassard said of his team’s power play.

After getting down early, Columbus struck with a shorthanded goal by Jiri Novotny who was trailing behind Andrew Murray who had two shots on the breakaway blocked by Anaheim goaltender J.S. Giguere.

Murray made a nice pass to Novotny who sent the puck past the glove of Giguere.

"On the goal, it was one of those things where I had a couple whacks at it and I chucked it back and he it ultimately scored," Murray said. "It is always nice to get a shorthanded goal and give your team a momentum change."

The Blue Jackets fired quickly in the second to take the 2-1 lead with a goal by Brassard who beat the stick of Giguere. Columbus limited Anaheim’s time in their offensive zone and scoring opportunities.

Columbus travels to Denver Thursday to play the Colorado Avalanche. The Chicago Blackhawks come to Nationwide Arena Saturday for the Blue Jackets next home game.