Nash 'Carries The Flag' in Jackets Season Opener
by Dave Seaman, Columbus Wired
Photos by Tom Theodore, Columbus Wired

The new-look, new-attitude Columbus Blue Jackets opened the 2007-08 season with a 4-0 win over the Anaheim Ducks in front of 17,852 on a night that featured the new cannon that fires after each goal scored. Enter a civil war style team whose motto is ‘Carry the Flag’. Rick Nash did just that, leading his team to the win.

The defending Stanley Cup champions left Nationwide Arena Friday night not knowing what hit them.

“They were a much more energetic team that we were and you have to give them credit,” Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said. “They got things going for them early and kept it going.”

Nash scored two goals and two assists, while Sergei Fedorov and Ron Hainsey each had a goal and an assist. The four points is a career-high for Nash.

“I felt good out there,” Nash said. “My line mates were finding me. (Kris) Russell had a great pass (on the second goal) and Sergei and (David) Vyborny each had a great game. Anytime your line mates play well, it shows on the scoreboard.”

Pascal Leclaire stopped 28 shots in the only the franchise’s second opening-night win. It was Leclaire’s second career shutout and came after missing most of last season with a knee injury.

“It was really great,” Jackets coach Ken Hitchcock said with a father like grin on his face. “To see a guy come back from such a significant injury and for this to be his first game, that’s something you can really build on.”

Hitchcock’s physical, hard to play against play, was evident as the Jackets physically dominated the Ducks, who played in London, England last weekend and Detroit on Wednesday. Anaheim didn’t record a shot on goal until just under four minutes remaining in the first period.

“We’re going to give you everything we’ve got and sometimes it’s not going to be pretty,” Hitchcock said. “Some nights it’s going to be downright nasty. We’re a grinding, hard-working hockey club.”

Nash got the Jackets first goal of the season when he put a shot on goal off a wrap-around. Nash’s wrister, bounced off the skate of Ducks defenseman Shane Hnidy at 6:44.

Fedorov scored two minutes later on a slap shot from the right face-off circle. He was fed the puck from Nash, who was on the far goal line.

“They came at us right from the start of the game,” Ducks forward Ryan Getzlaff said. “We weren't prepared for it. We did a lot of things tonight and none of them were the right ones.”

Columbus put the game away late in the second period when Jared Boll was called for a five-minute major for elbowing. The Jackets managed to burn off the penalty, as well as a one-minute, 31-second two-man Duck advantage in the third period.

“We played right in their faces and frustrated them all night.” Leclaire said. “The power play was great, the kills were great and everyone showed up. We played great defense. They blocked a lot of shots, especially on the kill and kept the puck on the outside.”

The penalty kill has been a point of emphasis for Hitchcock since the first day of training camp. He said that through the preseason and the opener that he is seeing the continuity growing each day.


Nash scored his second goal of the game at 7:53 of the third off a cross-crease pass from Russell.

Columbus went 3-for-11 on the power play, while Anaheim went 0-7. The Jackets outshot the Ducks 37-28. Ilja Bryzgalov had 33 saves for Anaheim, who plays in Pittsburgh Saturday night.

Columbus plays in Minnesota Saturday at 8 p.m. and return home Wednesday to host Phoenix.