The Columbus Blue Jackets gave interim head coach Claude Noel his first NHL head coaching victory on Thursday night as they defeated the Dallas Stars 2-1 in Nationwide Arena.

Noel talked before the game about letting the players simplify the game and have fun. For once, the player received the message.

“What I enjoyed about tonight’s game was right through warm-up and through the game, I thought the players were really passionate about trying to help each other,” Noel said. “I thought there was times where we could  talk more and help each other even more and we’re going to do some things tomorrow in practice to help further that through, but I thought they were really good at doing that.”

Noel added he only got about two hours of sleep last night; just hours after being announced he was replacing Ken Hitchcock for the rest of the season as Blue Jackets’ head coach.

Forward R.J. Umberger had a solid outing as he scored the eventual game-winning goal in the third period and he assisted and screened the go-ahead goal in the first period scored by defenseman Anton Stralman.

“We were calm on the bench and I thought our effort was what we were talking about (going into the game),” Umberger said. “Not so much X’s and O’s; so much has happened in the last two days. It was just about our effort.”

“I think we had fun, that was the message that coach (Noel) sent us in the meeting before the game to have fun and let your mind relax on the ice,” Blue Jackets’ forward Derick Brassard said.

Stralman scored 15 minutes into the first period on a slap shot that beat the stick of Stars’ goalie Marty Turco to put the Blue Jackets up 1-0. The goal was Stralman’s first since Nov. 24 against the Montreal Canadiens -- a stretch of 30 games.

“It is always nice to contribute with that goal,” Stralman said. “It was a tight game out there and we played well defensively I thought.”

Umberger put the Blue Jackets up 2-0 with one of the most pretty empty-net goals ever seen. He battled through several Dallas defensemen and caught up to the puck while diving towards the ice. From his stomach, Umberger was able to knock the puck into the net.

Blue Jackets’ goalie Steve Mason had a shutout going for more than 59 minutes of Thursday’s game. The Stars cut Columbus’ lead in half when Brad Richards scored on a goal that pinballed off Blue Jackets’ forward Jakub Voracek and Mason. The goal was reviewed for several minutes by replay officials because it had appeared Stars’ forward Steve Ott knocked the puck in off a high stick. It was not and the goal stood.

Mason’s effort was still sterling with 22 saves on 23 shots against. Mason was given a hard hat after the game for being the team’s ‘hardest worker’. Noel started the tradition on Thursday of exchanging the hard hat after each win. Whenever the Blue Jackets win their next game, Mason will have to give the hard hat to the player he thought worked the hardest in the game.

“Teams do it and we brought it (here),” Noel said about exchanging the hard hat. “Ken (Hitckcock) recommended that we buy it awhile back on the road, so we bought one but we never really used it… I had the hard hat in the (pre-game) meeting and said that we need to play for this thing.”

“Anytime you are in up in a game, you win a game, you are going to have a lot of fun,” Mason said. “Tonight was a perfect example of that. There was a lot of laughter during the game, especially after the game when (this hat) was given out.”

Columbus continues the home-stand with a game Saturday against the Buffalo Sabres.