Phoenix extends Columbus’ losing streak with 3-0 victory over Jackets
By Dave Weissman, Columbus Wired
Photos by Tom Theodore

The Phoenix Coyotes were late to the game due to weather and traffic, but left Columbus with a 3-0 victory over the struggling Blue Jackets in front of a sparse crowd at Nationwide Arena. Steven Reinprecht, Shane Doan and Michael Zigomanis lead the way for Phoenix, while Curtis Joseph stopped all 28 shots to earn his third shutout of the season.

Coyotes (25-27-2, 52 pts.) are trying to make a playoff push having won the last 12 of 19 and now in reach of the 8th spot occupied by Minnesota (62 pts.), just behind Colorado (54 pts.) and Edmonton (56 pts.).

"We played hard,” said Coyotes head coach Wayne Gretzky. “I am happy about how our team has played this last month."

The loss was the third in a row for Columbus (21-27-5, 47 pts.), who just finished a three-game road trip (1-2-0) with losses against Edmonton and Calgary, and beginning a six game homestand which is going to make or break the season for the team and it’s playoff hungry fans. The shutout was the 12th of the season for the Jackets.

“The first eight or nine minutes were fabulous and then after that we stopped playing - playing the way we needed to, to win." commented Columbus head coach Ken Hitchcock

The game started 35 minutes later than scheduled due to a snow storm that hit the Columbus area just before rush hour. The Coyotes, staying at a hotel near Easton, were late to the game arriving at 6:30 pm as league officials moved the start to around 7:35 p.m., instead of the originally scheduled time of 7 p.m.

We were a little sluggish the first five minutes. It is probably what is to be expected after a two-hour bus ride,” said Gretzky. “It was tough for their team, too.”

At 13:43 of the 1st period, Jody Shelly and Nick Boynton exchanged pleasantries as well as Zenon Konopka and Owen Nolan. Because Nolan was called for an additional two minutes, it looked as if Columbus would gain the momentum. But one minute later Columbus was called for a too many men penalty negating a power play opportunity.

On the ensuing 4-on-4, defenseman Ed Jovanovski fired a slapshot from the blue line which was tipped by Steven Reinprecht past Norrena to put the Coyotes up 1-0.

"We started off great, but we didn't carry it for the full 20 minutes," said Jackets forward Anson Carter.  "They scored, and it seemed to take the wind out of our sails."

Columbus started off the game taking 9 shots against Phoenix’s 4. After the scrum, momentum swung the Coyotes way as they amassed the next 3 shots, including Reinprecht’s goal.

At 6:03 of the second period, Shane Doan scored his 18th goal of the season after he stole the puck in the neutral zone and his slapshot from the top of the circle blasted by Norrena to give Phoenix a 2-0 lead.

“The D-men were a little backed off and I was able to gain the blue line with speed and get a good shot away,” said Doan.

"It was a big game and they scored on the few chances they had,” said Hitchcock. “The second goal was a killer, but still we had a number of chances to bury and we didn't."