Jackets lifeless in 4-2 loss to Coyotes  (11/12/08)
by Dave Seaman, Columbus Wired

After winning three straight, the Columbus Blue Jackets perhaps had a sense that they could win one with little effort.

The result was ugly as the Phoenix Coyotes left Nationwide Arena in front of 11, 350 Wednesday with a 5-2 victory.

“We didn’t compete,” Jackets coach Ken Hitchcock said. “(Our players) wanted the game to be easier that it was. We lost too many board battles, in front of the net battles; we were light on the puck. That’s what happens when you want the game to be easier than it is.”

The loss snaps a six-game point streak (4-0-2) for the Jackets (7-7-2). Steve Mason suffered his first loss as a professional, despite making 25 saves.

Ilja Bryzgalov stood on his head for the Coyotes, stopping 31 shots and taking a shutout into the final four minutes of the game. Shane Doan scored twice and added an assist for Phoenix (8-6-0), while Steve Reinprecht, Kevin Porter and Martin Hanzal also found the back of the net.

Rick Nash ended his nine-game goalless streak with a power play goal. Derek Brassard added a goal and an assist.

“This was definitely a team-loss,” Hitchcock said. “The thing that bothers me is that we hung (Mason) out to dry.”

Rostislav Klesla (wrist) and Kristian Huselius (ankle/foot) returned to the line-up, while Pascal Leclaire came off the Injured Reserve to back up Mason. Klesla looked lost on the ice, while Huselius took three shots, but was on the ice for two Coyote goals.

“We got out competed everywhere on the ice, every position and we let Mason down a couple of times,” Brassard said. “He had to make some solid saves, it could have been worse. We just lost every battle and we didn’t compete to score.”

Reinprecht redirected a Keith Yandle slap shot from the blue line put the Coyotes up 1-0 late in the first period. The goal came minutes after Nash had a goal called off because replays showed he batted the puck in with his glove.

Doan scored midway through the second when he broke free and split the Jackets’ defense to put Phoenix up 2-0.

The Coyotes’ put the game away when Porter scored on a second effort at 8:00 of the third. He took the initial shot, Mason had a stick save, and he got the rebound and put it off Jan Hejda for the goal.

Just 1:24 later, Doan scored his second goal of the game at close range that slid under Mason as he was crossing the goal line.

Nash ended Bryzgalov’s dominance with a power play goal off a cross-crease pass from Brassard at 11:30.

“I’m not worried about (scoring goals); I’ve said that all along,” Nash said. “We’re more worried about the two points we could have had tonight. (Phoenix) is a team we have to beat to get to the playoffs. Next time we play them, we have to play more desperate.”

Brassard then scored on a wrap-a-round at 16:42 to cut the Coyote lead to 4-2.

With the Jackets on a power play, Martin Hanzal scored an empty-net goal with 21.3 seconds remaining.

The game got chippy towards the end with Jake Voracek getting an inadvertent stick to the face by Olli Jokinen in the final minute. The two teams play again in Nationwide the day before Thanksgiving.

Columbus outshot Phoenix 33-30 and scored one power play goal on four attempts.

The Jackets play back-to-back games on the road this weekend, playing in Buffalo on Friday and Minnesota on Saturday. The team returns home Tuesday to host Edmonton.