GAME THREAD: NHL: COLUMBUS (9-12) at MINNESOTA (11-10)

NHL: COLUMBUS at MINNESOTA

<div class="pre">NHL COLUMBUS 4
MINNESOTA 0
3RD PRD: COB - RICK NASH 16 (MICHAEL PECA) 4:18</div>

 

NHL: COLUMBUS at MINNESOTA

<div class="pre">NHL COLUMBUS 4
MINNESOTA 0 13:56 LEFT, 3RD PRD</div>

 

NHL: COLUMBUS at MINNESOTA

<div class="pre">NHL COLUMBUS 4
MINNESOTA 0 1:55 LEFT, 3RD PRD</div>

 

NHL: COLUMBUS at MINNESOTA

<div class="pre">NHL FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
COLUMBUS 1 2 1 4
MINNESOTA 0 0 0 0 FINAL

GOAL SCORING:

1ST PRD: COB - (PP) MICHAEL PECA 2 (NIKOLAI ZHERDEV, RICK NASH) 3:27
2ND PRD: COB - (PP) DAVID VYBORNY 2 (DUVIE WESTCOTT, RON HAINSEY)
7:06
COB - (SH) DAN FRITSCHE 3 (UNASSISTED) 12:32
3RD PRD: COB - RICK NASH 16 (MICHAEL PECA) 4:18

POWER-PLAY CONVERSIONS: COB - 2 OF 4, MIN - 0 OF 9.

SHOTS ON GOAL: 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
COB 12 14 3 29
MIN 10 10 12 32

GOALIES: COB - PASCAL LECLAIRE
MIN - NIKLAS BACKSTROM

OFFICIALS: REF - CHRIS LEE, TOM KOWAL
LIN - BRIAN MACH, LYLE SEITZ

ATT: 18,568</div>

 

NHL: COLUMBUS at MINNESOTA

<div class="pre">------------------------------------
Columbus 1 2 1 --4
Minnesota 0 0 0 --0
------------------------------------

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Columbus, Michael Peca 2 (power play)
(Nikolai Zherdev, Rick Nash), 3:27. Penalties: A Voros, Min
(holding), 1:39; J Shelley, Cob (tripping), 8:16; B Rolston, Min
(diving), 8:16; S Fedorov, Cob (holding), 14:12; Bench, Cob (), 17:14;
N Zherdev, Cob (hooking), 19:34.

SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: 2, Columbus, David Vyborny 2 (power play)
(Duvie Westcott, Ron Hainsey), 7:06. 3, Columbus, Dan Fritsche 3
(shorthanded) (Unassisted), 12:32. Penalties: J Shelley, Cob (major
fighting), 4:37; D Boogaard, Min (major fighting), 4:37; A Voros, Min
(holding stick), 6:24; T Fedoruk, Min (double minor tripping,
roughing), 8:04; M Peca, Cob (tripping), 11:34.

THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: 4, Columbus, Rick Nash 16 (Michael Peca),
4:18. Penalties: A Foote, Cob (delay of game), 0:37; O Tollefsen, Cob
(hooking), 1:52; C Glencross, Cob (hooking), 5:27; A Foote, Cob
(roughing), 7:20; M Gaborik, Min (roughing), 7:20; R Klesla, Cob
(holding), 8:55; A Voros, Min (tripping), 15:11; S Hill, Min
(holding), 16:08; C Glencross, Cob (holding), 16:08; A Foote, Cob (
misconduct), 17:18; J Chimera, Cob (slashing), 17:56.

Shots on goal:
---------------------------------------
Columbus 12 14 3 --29
Minnesota 10 10 12 --32
---------------------------------------

Power-play Conversions: Columbus - 2 of 4, Minnesota - 0 of 9. Goalies
: Columbus, Pascal Leclaire (32 shots, 32 saves; record: 9-5-1).
Minnesota, Niklas Backstrom (29 shots, 25 saves; record: 8-4-1). A:
18,568. Referees: Chris Lee, Tom Kowal. Linesmen: Brian Mach, Lyle
Seitz.</div>

 

NHL: COLUMBUS at MINNESOTA

<div class="pre">** CONFIRMED **
NHL
COLUMBUS 4
MINNESOTA 0</div>

 

By Brian Hall
PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer


ST. PAUL, Minnesota (Ticker) -- The Minnesota Wild can't blame apost-Thanksgiving letdown, because things have been bad forquite a while.


Pascal LeClaire made 32 saves for his sixth shutout of theseason and Michael Peca had a goal and an assist as the ColumbusBlue Jackets coasted to a 4-0 victory over the Wild on Friday.

The Wild have lost five of their last six games and are just4-9-1 since storming to a 7-0-1 start this season. Columbus hadnot been much better as of late - the win was just its secondin nine games and it ended a three-game losing streak.

Leclaire finally got out of a personal slump that had seen himgo 1-3-1 with a 3.57 goals-against average over his last fivegames. His best work came early in the third period, when hemade several big stops while the Blue Jackets killed off afive-on-three power play opportunity.


The Wild's power play finished 0-for-9, doing little to supportgoaltender Niklas Backstrom, who made 25 saves in defeat.

In earning the seventh shutout of his career, Leclaire improvedto 3-1-0 all-time against the Wild.


Peca, returning to the lineup after missing six games with agroin injury, started the scoring with a power-play goal at 3:27in the first period. It was the second goal of the season forPeca, whose shot from the point deflected past a screenedBackstrom.


David Vyborny padded the lead with a power-play goal at 7:06 ofthe second period. Duvie Westcott controlled the puck at thepoint and fired it on net. Backstrom made the initial stop, butallowed a rebound right in front of the net, where Vybornypicked up the loose puck and flipped a backhander for his secondgoal of the season.


The sluggishness of the Wild, who fell to 10-3-1 againstColumbus in St. Paul, really showed during Dan Fritsche'sshorthanded goal later in the second.


With Peca in the penalty box, Minnesota defenseman Brent Burnscontrolled the puck in his defensive zone. Fritsche pressuredBurns, who lost control of the puck in front of Backstrom.

The loose puck quickly ended up on the stick of Fritsche, whohad no trouble burying his third goal of the season.

Rick Nash scored his team-leading 16th goal of the season earlyin the third to put the game out of reach. The left wing hasscored a goal in five consecutive games.

 

NHL: COLUMBUS at MINNESOTA

<div class="pre">------------------------------------
Columbus 1 2 1 --4
Minnesota 0 0 0 --0
------------------------------------

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Columbus, Michael Peca 2 (power play)
(Nikolai Zherdev, Rick Nash), 3:27. Penalties: A Voros, Min
(holding), 1:39; J Shelley, Cob (tripping), 8:16; B Rolston, Min
(diving), 8:16; S Fedorov, Cob (holding), 14:12; Bench, Cob (too many
men served by N Zherdev), 17:14; N Zherdev, Cob (hooking), 19:33.

SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: 2, Columbus, David Vyborny 2 (power play)
(Duvie Westcott, Ron Hainsey), 7:06. 3, Columbus, Dan Fritsche 3
(shorthanded) (Unassisted), 12:32. Penalties: J Shelley, Cob (major
fighting), 4:37; D Boogaard, Min (major fighting), 4:37; A Voros, Min
(holding stick), 6:24; T Fedoruk, Min (double minor tripping,
roughing), 8:04; M Peca, Cob (tripping), 11:34.

THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: 4, Columbus, Rick Nash 16 (Michael Peca),
4:18. Penalties: A Foote, Cob (delay of game), 0:37; O Tollefsen, Cob
(hooking), 1:52; C Glencross, Cob (hooking), 5:27; A Foote, Cob
(roughing), 7:20; M Gaborik, Min (roughing), 7:20; R Klesla, Cob
(holding), 8:55; A Voros, Min (tripping), 15:11; S Hill, Min
(holding), 16:08; C Glencross, Cob (holding), 16:08; A Foote, Cob (
misconduct), 17:18; J Chimera, Cob (slashing), 17:56.

Shots on goal:
---------------------------------------
Columbus 12 14 3 --29
Minnesota 10 10 12 --32
---------------------------------------

Power-play Conversions: Columbus - 2 of 5, Minnesota - 0 of 9. Goalies
: Columbus, Pascal Leclaire (32 shots, 32 saves; record: 9-5-1).
Minnesota, Niklas Backstrom (29 shots, 25 saves; record: 8-4-1). A:
18,568. Referees: Chris Lee, Tom Kowal. Linesmen: Brian Mach, Lyle
Seitz.</div>

 

NHL: COLUMBUS at MINNESOTA

<div class="pre">-----------------------------------------
COLUMBUS 1 2 1 --4
MINNESOTA 0 0 0 --0
-----------------------------------------

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Columbus, Michael Peca 2 (power play)
(Nikolai Zherdev, Rick Nash), 3:27. Penalties: A Voros, Min
(holding), 1:39; J Shelley, Cob (tripping), 8:16; B Rolston, Min
(diving), 8:16; S Fedorov, Cob (holding), 14:12; Bench, Cob (too many
men served by N Zherdev), 17:14; N Zherdev, Cob (hooking), 19:33.

SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: 2, Columbus, David Vyborny 2 (power play)
(Duvie Westcott, Ron Hainsey), 7:06. 3, Columbus, Dan Fritsche 3
(shorthanded) (Unassisted), 12:32. Penalties: J Shelley, Cob (major
fighting), 4:37; D Boogaard, Min (major fighting), 4:37; A Voros, Min
(holding stick), 6:24; T Fedoruk, Min (double minor tripping,
roughing), 8:04; M Peca, Cob (tripping), 11:34.

THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: 4, Columbus, Rick Nash 16 (Michael Peca),
4:18. Penalties: A Foote, Cob (delay of game), 0:37; O Tollefsen, Cob
(hooking), 1:52; C Glencross, Cob (hooking), 5:27; A Foote, Cob
(roughing), 7:20; M Gaborik, Min (roughing), 7:20; R Klesla, Cob
(holding), 8:55; A Voros, Min (tripping), 15:11; S Hill, Min
(holding), 16:08; C Glencross, Cob (holding), 16:08; A Foote, Cob (
misconduct), 17:18; J Chimera, Cob (slashing), 17:56.

Shots on goal:
----------------------------------------
COLUMBUS 12 14 3 --29
MINNESOTA 10 10 12 --32
----------------------------------------

Power-play Conversions: COB - 2 of 5, MIN - 0 of 9. Goalies :
Columbus, Pascal Leclaire (32 shots, 32 saves; record: 9-5-1).
Minnesota, Niklas Backstrom (29 shots, 25 saves; record: 8-4-1). A:
18,568. Referees: Chris Lee, Tom Kowal. Linesmen: Brian Mach, Lyle
Seitz.

INDIVIDUAL PLAYER STATISTICS

COLUMBUS MINNESOTA
G A +/- Shots G A +/- Shots
D Westcott 0 1 even 2 M Gaborik 0 0 -2 4
C Glencross 0 0 even 4 B Rolston 0 0 even 7
J Novotny 0 0 even 0 D Moore 0 0 -1 1
N Zherdev 0 1 +1 3 S Veilleux 0 0 even 5
M Peca 1 1 +1 3 M Parrish 0 0 -1 1
J Chimera 0 0 even 3 D Boogaard 0 0 even 0
M Malhotra 0 0 even 0 E Belanger 0 0 -1 0
J Boll 0 0 even 0 K Foster 0 0 even 3
J Shelley 0 0 even 0 M Skoula 0 0 even 1
D Fritsche 1 0 +1 2 A Voros 0 0 even 1
A Foote 0 0 even 0 K Johnsson 0 0 -1 0
O Tollefsen 0 0 +1 1 N Schultz 0 0 -1 2
R Hainsey 0 1 +1 3 S Hill 0 0 -1 1
R Nash 1 1 +1 2 J Sheppard 0 0 even 2
J Hejda 0 0 even 0 B Burns 0 0 -1 2
D Vyborny 1 0 +1 2 M Foy 0 0 even 1
S Fedorov 0 0 even 1 T Fedoruk 0 0 -1 0
R Klesla 0 0 +2 3 P Bouchard 0 0 even 1
K Beech HEALTHY K Carney HEALTHY
G Brule HEALTHY B Radivojevic HEALTHY
K Russell HEALTHY J Harding HEAD INJURY</div>

 

NHL: COLUMBUS at MINNESOTA

<div class="pre">** CONFIRMED **
NHL
COLUMBUS 4
MINNESOTA 0</div>

 

By Brian Hall
PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer


ST. PAUL, Minnesota (Ticker) - The Minnesota Wild can't blame apost-Thanksgiving letdown, because things have been bad forquite a while.


Pascal Leclaire made 32 saves for his sixth shutout of theseason and Michael Peca had a goal and an assist as the ColumbusBlue Jackets coasted to a 4-0 victory over the Wild on Friday.

The Wild have lost five of their last six games and are just4-9-1 since storming to a 7-0-1 start this season. Columbus hadnot been much better as of late - the win was just its secondin nine games and it ended a three-game losing streak.

"I think it was a statement game for us, to each other," Pecasaid. "At the end of the day, we could care less what otherpeople think about us - if they don't think we are going to makethe playoffs, how good they think we are.


"All that mattered is how we view ourselves and how much weexpect out of ourselves. We did that. It was gut-check time asthey say, and the guys responded."


On the flip side, Minnesota coach Jacques Lemaire said his teamjust hasn't been doing the little things.


"The guys are struggling to do too much and do more, instead oftrying to keep it simple and work a little harder - and that isnot what we are doing now," Lemaire said.


Leclaire finally got out of a personal slump that had seen himgo 1-3-1 with a 3.57 goals-against average over his last fivegames. His best work came early in the third period, when hemade several big stops while the Blue Jackets killed off a5-on-3 power play opportunity.


"I don't get down on myself," Leclaire said. "I am honest. Iknow when I play good and when I am not on. I forget prettyquick. Yesterday, I got back with Clint Malarchuk, our goaliecoach, and just tried to keep it simple - be more patient. I amgood when I do that."


The Wild's power play finished 0-for-9, doing little to supportgoaltender Niklas Backstrom, who made 25 saves in defeat.

In earning the seventh shutout of his career, Leclaire stopped10 shots in both the first and second periods, and 12 in thethird to improve to 3-1-0 all-time against the Wild.

Peca, returning to the lineup after missing six games with agroin injury, started the scoring with a power-play goal at 3:27in the first period. It was the second goal of the season forPeca, whose shot from the point deflected past a screenedBackstrom.


"I have been anxious to get back in, felt really good physicallyfor the last four or five days," Peca said. "I didn't want tojust come back in and exist. I wanted to come back in and playimportant minutes in important situations. I'm glad I was ableto help out."


David Vyborny padded the lead with a power-play goal at 7:06 ofthe second period. Duvie Westcott controlled the puck at thepoint and fired it on net. Backstrom made the initial stop, butallowed a rebound right in front of the net, where Vybornypicked up the loose puck and flipped a backhander for his secondgoal of the season.


The sluggishness of the Wild, who fell to 10-3-1 againstColumbus in St. Paul, really showed during Dan Fritsche'sshorthanded goal later in the second.


With Peca in the penalty box, Minnesota defenseman Brent Burnscontrolled the puck in his defensive zone. Fritsche pressuredBurns, who lost control of the puck in front of Backstrom.

The loose puck quickly ended up on the stick of Fritsche, whohad no trouble burying his third goal of the season.

"It's tough for us now, so every goal that is scored, it's a biggoal for the other team," Backstrom said. "We can't think toomuch on that. You are going to have good and bad bouncesthrough the whole season. Everybody in this locker room hasplayed enough hockey to know what is going on. You just have towork harder and believe that it is going to turn around."

Rick Nash scored his team-leading 16th goal of the season earlyin the third to put the game out of reach. The left wing hasscored a goal in five consecutive games.


"We've played four of our last five games as well as we couldplay," Columbus coach Ken Hitchcock said. "We've really playedwell, and we haven't been rewarded. To get rewarded for playinghard and playing well is good for us because arguably, otherthan the game against Florida, we have deserved much better fatein games where we've played really well."