Jackets post first pre-season win over Wild
By Dave Seaman, Columbus Wired, Photos by Dave Weissman

With 14 regulars in the line-up, the Columbus Blue Jackets played with “pace” and defeated the Minnesota Wild 5-1 in front of a sparse crowd in Nationwide Arena Monday night.

Columbus coach Ken Hitchcock played his top line—Kristian Huselius-Derek Brassard-Rick Nash—the entire game and they combined for two goals and five assists in the win. Brassard had a goal and two assists, while Nash had a goal and an assist. Huselius ended the game with a pair of helpers.

“We found each other on the ice and it’s not hard to play with those guys,” Brassard said. “Tonight was the first game we played with a full line-up. We had three line and out focus was to push the other team and I think we did a good job.”


 

Raffi Torres, who left the game with back spasms, Antoine Vermette and Grant Clitsome also scored for the Jackets (1-3), while Steve Mason, playing in his first full game of the preseason, stopped 16 of 17 shots. In the pregame skate, Hitchcock approached Mason about playing a full 60 minutes and the goaltender didn’t hesitate in saying yes.

Torres joins a growing list of Jackets who are battling injuries. Mike Commodore and R.J. Umberger were both scratched from the game as a precautionary measure with minor injuries. Jason Chimera and Tom Sestito are still suffering possible concussion-like symptoms. Fredrik Modin is out at least a month with a MCL sprain.

Torres got Columbus on the board first with a rebound off a Sammy Phalsson shot midway through the first. Clitsome made it 2-0 off a feed from Brassard on a two-one-break with each team skating four aside.

Vermette and Nash scored 48 seconds apart late in the second to put the Jackets up 4-0. Vermette scored shorthanded and Nash almost replicated the spectacular play in Phoenix two seasons ago against Wild goaltender Josh Harding.

“We were sharp everywhere—with the puck and we protected a lot better,” Hitchcock said. “The biggest thing was that our pace was up. The other team has to react (when you play like that). From start to finish, we had strong pace—it’s a good sign.”

Brassard scored on the power play on a tick-tac-toe play from Huselius and Nash.

“I thought overall we battled with them,” Harding said. “Obviously they made some good plays; you have to give them credit. Especially the Nash line, they made plays and they make you move as a goalie.”

The Wild (2-1) ended Mason’s shutout attempt when Kyle Brodziak scored off a John Moore turnover.

“It was a tough game to play as a goaltender, but credit to our hockey club, we played a really good game all-around,” Mason said. “ Not only did our forwards do a great job of making sure they were clearing the pucks, but the defense made sure the bodies that were in front were pushed aside so I was getting a good look at all the shots.”

Columbus outshot Minnesota 35-17 and went one-for-seven on the power play. The Wild went 0-for-4 with the man-advantage.

The game got chippy in the final three minutes with Jared Boll and John Scott battling, while Alex Picard and Mike Blunden bickered with Andy Hilbert and Greg Zanon.

Columbus returns to the ice Tuesday, hosting Boston at 7 p.m.

dave.seaman@columbuswired.tv