Edmonton Hands Columbus Another Loss
By DAVE SEAMAN, Columbus Wired

In the six-year history of the Columbus Blue Jackets, certain players have feasted on the team’s goaltenders.

Names like Todd Bertuzzi, Joe Sakic and Keith Tkachuk have had career nights against the Jackets. On Friday night, another “Jacket Killer” took center stage.

Ryan Smith, who came into the game with 22 points in 19 games against Columbus, scored two goals to lead the Edmonton Oilers to a 4-1 win in front of 16,902 in Nationwide Arena.

“Smyth scored two goals because he was in front of the net,” Jackets coach Gerard Gallant said. “We talk about it all the time. … It takes the character of a big man to go to the net. If you’re going to score goals in the NHL today, you have to be in front of the net, not the side or behind the net. We don’t get enough of that.”

Joffrey Lupul and Ales Hemsky also scored for the Oliers, who ended a four-game losing streak. Edmonton is 13-4-4 against Columbus.

Anson Carter had the lone goal for the Jackets, which happened to be the franchise’s 1,000 goal scored.

The Jackets, who had won in St. Louis on Thursday, came out with jump in the first period, but didn’t generate any quality scoring opportunities.

The Oilers took the wind of the Jackets sails with two soft goals in 1:38 apart early in the second period.

Hemsky beat Jackets goaltender Pascal Leclaire on the low stick side 40 seconds into the period. Lupul then hit a soft shot from the left point that ricocheted off Leclaire’s right arm and into the back of the net.

“I think I gave up two bad goals,” Leclaire said. “We played a good first period, then got down those two goals and closed out the game. They have a lot of experience and know how to win.”

The defending Western Conference champions went up 3-0 off the stick of Smyth, who tapped in a loose puck in the crease on the power play. Leclaire stopped the initial shot from Steve Staios, but the puck died on the ice. Jackets’ defenseman Adam Foote was out of position to clear the puck and Smyth tapped it in the empty net at 12:40.

The Jackets go the goal bask less than a minute later on the power play. Sergei Fedorov made a cross-ice pass to Rick Nash, who found Carter open in the slot. Carter hit a slap shot top shelf at 13:37.

“We have to find a way, as a team, to keep getting the pucks in their zone, keep getting pressure and attacking the net,” said Carter. “Then, we’ll start getting the lucky bounces.”

Smyth scored his second of the night at 2:07 of the third period off a feed from Brad Winchester on a break-a-way.

Edmonton outshot Columbus 29-27 and converted on one of five power play chances. Goaltender Dwayne Roloson had 26 saves.

Leclaire ended the game with 25 saves.

Columbus plays in Chicago Sunday at 7 p.m.