Jackets Begin Pre-Season with 3-1 Loss to Nashville
by Dave Weissman, Columbus Wired
Photos by Tom Theodore, Columbus Wired

Columbus Blue Jackets opened the 2007-2008 pre-season with a 3-1 loss against the rival Nashville Predators at Nationwide Arena. It was a somber loss as forward David Vyborny was lost for the game and maybe more with a knee injury suffered in the 1st period.

Nashville scored two short-handed goals during a Blue Jacket power play to take a 2-0 lead and eventually defeat the Blue Jackets 3-1 in the first pre-season game for Columbus at Nationwide Arena.

Scott Nichol potted his first goal of the pre-season just 1:02 into the second period, while Jed Ortmeyer followed with Nashville’s second goal less than one minute later.

Nashville was on the penalty kill after Martin Erat was called for a major interference and game misconduct for slamming David Vyborny’s into the wall. Vyborny suffered a knee injury would not return to the ice.

Columbus’s Petr Pohl scored for Columbus, also on a short –handed goal at 5:43 in the second period to close the gap. Ville Koistinen also scored for Nashville on a power play goal at 13:59 of the second period to keep the Pred’s ahead 3-1.

Pascal Leclaire was in net for the first two periods, allowing all three Nashville goals on 16 shots. He was relieved by Tomas Popperle in the third period.

Nashville is not the same team that last year went deep into the Stanley Cup playoffs. Gone are Paul Kariya, Peter Forsburg, and most noteworthy, goaltender Thomas Vokun (27-12-4 last year), who was traded to Florida in the off-season. Most, if not all of the changes were a result of owner’s desire to trim payroll after losing millions over the past years.

Coach Ken Hitchcock, beginning his first full season after being named coach on November 23rd, had to assemble a team that began it’s training camp only two days earlier.

Columbus returns to the ice on Tuesday when the Chicago Blackhawks come to town. Whereas the Nashville game was a game of grit, Tuesday’s will be a team of speed



Cannon Watch: It has been speculated that the Nationwide Arena will use a cannon sound going off when the Jackets score. However, the unveiling will have to wait until opening night against Anaheim.