Blue Jackets finally shake the Blues
Malhotra tallies two goals to lead the way
by Dave Weissman, Columbus Wired

Manny Malhotra scored two third period goals, including a Bobby Orr-like move for the game winner, as host Columbus defeated St. Louis 3-1 for their first win over the Blues in five tries this season. The past four contests games have been one-goal games, with the exception of an empty netter last week in the Blues 5-3 victory in St. Louis.

“To get a 3-1 win against St. Louis is a big boost for us,” said Jackets interim head coach Gerard Gallant.

Under Gallant, Columbus has gone 4-3-3-0, including going to overtime five of the last six games, posting a 2-0-3 mark with Rick Nash scoring both OT game winning goals.

This was the final meeting of the two teams at Nationwide Arena. The last time they met here three weeks ago, Jacket killer Keith Tkachuk scored the game-winning goal with just 43 seconds left in overtime to seal the victory for the Blues. Just to show their home team appreciation, the 16,242 in attendance gave him a full compliment of boos during player introductions and towards the end of the game would taunt goaltender Chris Osgood.

Columbus, who has only dressed a full lineup four times this season, welcomed back defenseman Jaroslav Spacek (on IR since December 1st with a groin injury suffered November 26th in Nashville). It marked the first time since November 14, 2003 that the Jackets had their full defensive corps on the ice for a game.

“I’ve said it since the beginning of the season that when we have a full team we have a chance every night,” Gallant said. “The third goal was huge. It would have been 2-1 and a little scary. It’s happened four times this year against that team.”

The Blue Jackets took the lead early in the first period on Todd Marchant’s 7th goal of the season. Defenseman Darryl Sydor wound up and fired a rocket that St. Louis goaltender Chris Osgood initially stopped, but Marchant picked up the rebound in front of the net, unabated, and lifted it over Osgood stick-side high to give the Jackets a 1-0 lead.

The second period was a bit of drama right off the bat. Just twenty seconds into the period, St. Louis scored an apparent goal, however, Dallas Drake was called for interference before the puck crossed the line. It would have been a short-handed goal for the Blues as Columbus was still on a power play carryover from the 1st period.

St. Louis, though, would not get deterred and continued to press.

At 1:01, Marchant was called for interference and it gave the Blues their second power play of the night. Chris Pronger ripped a slap shot from the blue line that got past Denis to tie the score 1-1. It looked as though Denis was slightly screened and out of position due to Keith Tkachuk tying up Sydor in front of the net. Time to get nervous; St. Louis is 22-5-4-1 this year when Tkachuk scores a point.

Gallant must have said some inspiring message between periods. The Jackets came out more fired up in the third, led by Malhotra’s first goal of the night and the eventual game winner.

At 5:09, Malhotra drove the length of the ice, beating defender Jame Pollock into the offensive zone, he let loose a cannon that seemed to stun Osgood. The puck rebounded off Osgood as many leaped and dove, just able to get his stick on the puck and slide it into the goal to give Columbus a 2-1 lead.

“Should be on a highlight reel,” Marchant said. “That was unbelievable. It was Bobby Orr-eske.

Gallant was busy making line changes and looking down the bench, so he did not see the goal, but knew it was a momentum grabber. “It was the turning point of the game,” he said.

Columbus fans have been here before and seen too many times this season where the Jackets lose momentum and allow the killing goal against, and they were ready for it again.

Tonight, though, it was not going to happen. Jackets winger Jeremy Reich, making his NHL debut, was able to steal the puck from a wandering Osgood and found Malhotra streaking in. Malhotra took the pass and stuffed it home to seal the win and send a frustrated St. Louis off to Dallas to end their three game road trip.

“He made a nice play on that second goal. We kind of gave them the third one,” said St. Louis head coach Joel Quenneville. “It was the opportunity we had before that one, as good as a chance as we had all night, and they come down to score.”

“One thing Turk (Gallant) said was, ‘Close isn’t good enough anymore. We have to start winning some games,’ and tonight was a perfect example,” said Marchant.

Malhotra was humble when asked if he should now be considered one of the ‘young guns’ like teammates Rick Nash and Nikolai Zherdev. “They are two really explosive guys. They’re goal scorers in the league,” he said. “(My game) is being strong defensively, at the same time adding offensive plays when I can.”