NHL: COLUMBUS (1-0) at MINNESOTA (1-0) <h3>Nash, Backstrom set to battle as Blue Jackets face Wild</h3> <div class="pre">Columbus (1-0-0) at Minnesota (1-0-0) 8:00 pm EDT</div> ST. PAUL, Minnesota (Ticker) - Niklas Backstrom looks tocontinue his stellar performance between the pipes as theMinnesota Wild face the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday. The 29-year-old Backstrom dominated in Minnesota's seasonopener, stopping 27 shots for a 1-0 triumph over the ChicagoBlackhawks on Thursday. A native of Finland, Backstrom inked a $6.2 million deal in theoffseason after going 23-8-6 in limited action during his firstNHL campaign. On Friday, Rick Nash finished with two goals and two assists fora career-high four points to help Columbus enjoy an effortless4-0 win over defending Stanley Cup champion Anaheim. The top pick in 2002, Nash has three tallies and three assiststhrough 13 career outings against the Wild, who are 7-3-2all-time in the series here. Sergei Fedorov recorded a goal and assist and goaltender PascalLeclaire stopped 28 shots for the Blue Jackets, who were just15-23-3 away from home last season. Minnesota and Columbus split four games last season with eachteam protecting home ice advantage.
NHL: COLUMBUS at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">NHL AT MINNESOTA STARTING GOALIES: COB - FREDRIK NORRENA MIN - NIKLAS BACKSTROM OFFICIALS: REF - BRAD MEIER, MICK MCGEOUGH LIN - BRAD LAZAROWICH, DEREK AMELL</div>
NHL: COLUMBUS at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">COLUMBUS VS MINNESOTA - SCRATCHES COLUMBUS MINNESOTA J SHELLEY HEALTHY W WALZ KNEE INJURY C GLENCROSS HEALTHY K FOSTER GROIN S MASON HEALTHY</div>
NHL: COLUMBUS at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">NHL COLUMBUS 1 MINNESOTA 0 1ST PRD: COB - (PP) RON HAINSEY 2 (NIKOLAI ZHERDEV, JASON CHIMERA) 16:49</div>
NHL: COLUMBUS at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">NHL COLUMBUS 1 MINNESOTA 1 1ST PRD: MIN - PIERRE-MARC BOUCHARD 2 (ERIC BELANGER, BRIAN ROLSTON) 19:10</div>
NHL: COLUMBUS at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">NHL END OF THE 1ST 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL --- --- --- ----- COLUMBUS 1 1 MINNESOTA 1 1 END OF THE 1ST GOAL SCORING: 1ST PRD: COB - (PP) RON HAINSEY 2 (NIKOLAI ZHERDEV, JASON CHIMERA) 16:49 MIN - PIERRE-MARC BOUCHARD 2 (ERIC BELANGER, BRIAN ROLSTON) 19:10 SHOTS ON GOAL: 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL --- --- --- ----- COB 8 8 MIN 11 11 GOALIES: COB - FREDRIK NORRENA MIN - NIKLAS BACKSTROM</div>
NHL: COLUMBUS at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">------------------------ Columbus 1 --1 Minnesota 1 --1 ------------------------ FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Columbus, Ron Hainsey 2 (power play) (Nikolai Zherdev, Jason Chimera), 16:49. 2, Minnesota, Pierre-Marc Bouchard 2 (Eric Belanger, Brian Rolston), 19:10. Penalties: O Tollefsen, Cob (hooking), 2:38; K Johnsson, Min (high sticking), 14:56. Shots on goal: ----------------------------- Columbus 8 --8 Minnesota 11 --11 ----------------------------- Goalies : Columbus, Fredrik Norrena (11 shots, 10 saves). Minnesota, Niklas Backstrom (8 shots, 7 saves). Referees: Brad Meier, Mick Mcgeough. Linesmen: Brad Lazarowich, Derek Amell.</div>
NHL: COLUMBUS at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">NHL COLUMBUS 2 MINNESOTA 1 2ND PRD: COB - (SH) ADAM FOOTE 1 (JIRI NOVOTNY, NIKOLAI ZHERDEV) 15:31</div>
NHL: COLUMBUS at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">NHL END OF THE 2ND 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL --- --- --- ----- COLUMBUS 1 1 2 MINNESOTA 1 0 1 END OF THE 2ND GOAL SCORING: 1ST PRD: COB - (PP) RON HAINSEY 2 (NIKOLAI ZHERDEV, JASON CHIMERA) 16:49 MIN - PIERRE-MARC BOUCHARD 2 (ERIC BELANGER, BRIAN ROLSTON) 19:10 2ND PRD: COB - (SH) ADAM FOOTE 1 (JIRI NOVOTNY, NIKOLAI ZHERDEV) 15:31 SHOTS ON GOAL: 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL --- --- --- ----- COB 8 7 15 MIN 11 7 18 GOALIES: COB - FREDRIK NORRENA MIN - NIKLAS BACKSTROM</div>
NHL: COLUMBUS at MINNESOTA <div class="pre">------------------------------ Columbus 1 1 --2 Minnesota 1 0 --1 ------------------------------ FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Columbus, Ron Hainsey 2 (power play) (Nikolai Zherdev, Jason Chimera), 16:49. 2, Minnesota, Pierre-Marc Bouchard 2 (Eric Belanger, Brian Rolston), 19:10. Penalties: O Tollefsen, Cob (hooking), 2:38; K Johnsson, Min (high sticking), 14:56. SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: 3, Columbus, Adam Foote 1 (shorthanded) (Jiri Novotny, Nikolai Zherdev), 15:31. Penalties: J Chimera, Cob (hooking), 10:27; S Veilleux, Min (major fighting), 13:02; J Boll, Cob (major fighting), 13:02; D Westcott, Cob (interference), 14:42. Shots on goal: ---------------------------------- Columbus 8 7 --15 Minnesota 11 7 --18 ---------------------------------- Goalies : Columbus, Fredrik Norrena (18 shots, 17 saves). Minnesota, Niklas Backstrom (15 shots, 13 saves). Referees: Brad Meier, Mick Mcgeough. Linesmen: Brad Lazarowich, Derek Amell.</div>
