Jackets on a roll
By Dave Seaman, Columbus Wired

The Columbus Blue Jackets set a single-game record with five power play goals as they defeated the Ottawa Senators 6-2 in front of 15,797 at Nationwide Arena Sunday night for its fourth straight win.

Under Ken Hitchcock, the team is 5-3-0 and playing with confidence. Ottawa had not given up more than two power play goals in a game this season. Columbus converted on five of 11 power play attempts.

“I think the game was a special teams game and we won that game tonight, we won the game within the game,” Hitchcock said. “With the new NHL, if you win the special teams game, you are going to do well.”

Rick Nash and Dan Fritsche each scored two goals for the Jackets. Ron Hainsey had a career best three-point performance (goal and two assists), while Manny Malhotra added a goal. Anders Eriksson and David Vyborny chipped in with two assists. Ten Jackets recorded a point in the win.

“The top teams in the league have seven or eight 20-goal scorers,” Nash said. “To get to the playoffs, everyone needs to contribute.”

The win came at a cost for Columbus. Adam Foote left the game in the first period with a lower body injury. Goaltender Pascal Leclaire left the game midway through the second when he stretched for a save and possibly tweaked his groin. Both players are listed as day-to-day. Anson Carter also was injured when he collided with a teammate in the third period, but was fine after the game.

Christoph Schubert and Mike Fisher scored for Ottawa, losers of three straight.

Hainsey set up the Jackets first goal when he took the puck from behind the Jackets goal and skated across ice and put a shot on Ottawa goaltender Martin Gerber. Gerber made the initial save, but as he was getting back the puck bounced to Nash, who tapped it in the empty net.

Nash then redirected a Hainsey shot on the power play at 18:46 to put the Jackets up 2-0 late in the first period.

The Jackets scored its third power play goal of the game on an odd-man rush. Fritsche took a pass from Carter and squeezed the puck between the pipe and the extended skate of Gerber to give Columbus a 3-0 lead early in the second period.

Hainsey hit a slap shot from the blue line to extend the Jackets’ lead to 4-0 at 7:17. The fourth power play goal was enough for Senators coach Bryan Murray, who replaced Gerber with Ray Emery.

“It’s nice to get points and it usually happens when the forwards are going to the net and creating traffic,” Hainsey said. “The last 10 games, the forwards have done a great job going to the net and that usually results in some goals.”

Fritsche scored his second goal of the game when tapped in a rebound off an Eriksson shot at 11:22. He has points in three of the team’s last four games.

“I’m playing with the most confidence I’ve had since joining the NHL,” Fritsche said. “It’s fun having things go right for me and I’m contributing to the team’s success right now.”

Ottawa finally scored at 6:43 of the third on a one-timer from Schubert off a pass from Jason Spezza.

Both teams then scored with both teams skating four a side. Fisher scored for Ottawa at 11:52 on a slap shot. Malhotra scored after Jason Chimera dropped him the puck 62 seconds later.