Jackets ugly once again losing 4-0 to Edmonton
By Dave Seaman, Columbus Wired

The defending Western Conference champion Edmonton Oilers came to Nationwide Arena Thursday with a four-game losing streak. When they left, the streak was broken with a 4-0 win over the Blue Jackets in front of 15,541. It’s the second straight game in Nationwide where the visitors have come in a broke a losing streak. Montreal did it on Sunday with a 3-2 win.

Shawn Horcoff scored two goals (first time this season) and added an assist to lead Edmonton. Ryan Smith added a goal and two assists. Ladislav Smid also scored for the Oilers, in the midst of a seven-game road trip. Dwayne Roloson recorded his fourth shutout of the season, stopping all 28 Columbus shots.

The Jackets had no highlights to speak of. Jody Shelley and Ole-Kristian Tollefsen each won a fight in what was an extremely chippy game.

“It’s a game that is frustrating,” Shelley said. “We thought we had a strong first and then we’re two goals down. We get down a couple goals and guys don’t stick to the game plan. We had a great game plan. It seems we become individuals and try to do a lot ourselves, and we can’t do that.”

Jackets coach Ken Hitchcock said his team wasn’t “very good at all.” He also hinted that some of his players were not into the game.

“We had a lot of guys whose performances was well below the bar,” he said. “I think there’s a focus somewhere else for some people and it showed today.”

Unlike the NBA, where there were no major trades made before Thursday’s deadline, the Jackets will probably part ways with several players, including Bryan Berard and Anson Carter before Tuesday’s NHL trade deadline.

The Oilers scored the first two goals of the game in the first 8:23. Horcoff scored when the Jackets’ defense let the puck sit in the slot untouched off a Smyth shot. Smyth then scored on the power play with a backhand shot at 8:23.

Ron Hainsey had a goal disallowed because it was deflected into the goal off a high stick with 7:43 remaining of the period.

Smid scored the first goal of his career on a nifty pass from Raffi Torres at 5:38 of the second period.

“We got beat one-on-one for the first three goals,” Hitchcock said.

Horcoff scored on the power play at 2:45 of the third on a centering pass from Smyth.

“We did a lot of things well tonight,” said Oilers coach Craig MacTavish, who’s Oilers are 3-1 this season against Columbus. “The skill level showed in the way we moved the puck; we played well defensively and answered the bell physically and we got good goaltending.”

Fredrik Norrena, who wasn’t stellar, had 24 saves. Each team had 28 shots on goal. The shutout was the team-record 13th of the season for the Blue Jackets.

“We had a lot of pucks in the crease just sitting at people’s feet and we just have to make sure that they go in the net and not just flipping at them,” Rick Nash said. “When you’re down a couple of goals, you just can’t sit back.”

The Jackets travel to Madison Square Garden to play the New York Rangers Saturday at 7 p.m.