Dallas’ Brad Richards cut the deficit to one only 21 seconds later, but it was too little, too late as the Blue Jackets held on for the 2-1 victory.

The win was the first for interim head coach Claude Noel, who toke over after the firing of Ken Hitchcock on Wednesday.

Steve Mason made 22 saves to grab the win.

Columbus captain Rick Nash played in his 500^th game, and assisted on Umberger’s goal.

Dallas did not commit any penalties, but was not able to capitalize on any of the three Columbus committed.

The Blue Jackets continue the home stand against Buffalo on Saturday night, and then are off until a Wednesday night affair with Dany Heatley and the San Jose Sharks.

The second period remained scoreless with just a few whistles. The Blue Jackets defense did a good job protecting goaltender Steve Mason. Mason ended the game with 22 saves.

In the third period, late in the game, R.J. Umberger scored an empty net goal, as he fell to his stomach. The goal was needed, as Dallas would score a late goal to cut the lead to 2-1. Steve Ott scored with just 43 seconds remaining in the game, chopping the puck waist-high.

The win for the Blue Jackets moved them to 23-27-9. Dallas, with the loss, dropped to 25-21-11.

Steve Mason saved 29 of 31 shots on goal to pick up his 12th win of the season. The 21 year old from Oakville Ontario had lost seven of his last eight starts coming in. Nashville’s two goals were scored by Martin Erat and Patric Hornqvist. For Hornqvist, it was his 21st of the season.

The win for the Blue Jackets pushed them to 21-25-9 on the season, while the Predators fell to 29-20-3. Columbus sits just ahead of Edmonton in the Western Conference standings, but trails both Minnesota and St. Louis by just three points. Nashville sits two points back of Los Angeles, for seventh place in the conference; two points ahead of Detroit. The Blue Jackets will now stay at home and host the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday night, before heading on the road to both St. Louis and Colorado. Nashville, who has now lost four straight games, will finish their four game road trip on Friday in Detroit, and follow that up with a home game against Atlanta on Saturday night.

After taking a 2-0 lead in the first period, the Blue Jackets allowed three straight goals and trailed 3-2 heading into the first intermission.

Columbus’ R.J. Umberger and Kristian Huselius scored sixty-one seconds apart, propelling the Blue Jackets to the early lead.

Alex Burrows scored three times for the Canucks as he recorded the second hat trick of his career. Former Ohio State Buckeye Ryan Kesler assisted his final goal.

Kris Russel added a second period goal for Columbus to reach the three-goal total.

Columbus goaltender Steve Mason made 11 of 17 saves before being replaced by Mathieu Garon at 14:53 of the second period.

Columbus was 0-5 on the power play, while Vancouver was 1-3.

The Blue Jackets recent power play struggles have dropped their overall percentage to 20.6 percent, or 8^th in the NHL.

The penalty kill sits 14^th in the league at 81.2 percent.

Columbus lost for the 13^th time in 14 games, and recorded their 13^th straight road loss.

The Blue Jackets take on the Edmonton Oilers Thursday night at 10 p.m. before heading to Calgary on Friday to conclude the western trip.

Last Four:

At Ottawa:

Antoine Vermette returned to Ottawa for the first time since being traded to Columbus last season.

For the fourth straight game, the Blue Jackets relinquished a lead on the road and lost the game.

Columbus took the lead late in the first period on a Kristian Huselius power play goal, but held it for less than a minute before Ottawa’s Jason Spezza tied the game with his second goal of the year.

Ottawa took the lead for good with just over six minutes remaining in the game when Nick Folingo scored on the power play.

Columbus goaltender Steve Mason made 34 saves in the loss.

Calgary:

After a road trip filled with blown games and injuries, the Blue Jackets returned home to face Jerome Iginla and the Calgary Flames.

The Jackets have been heavily outscored in the third period all year long, and that was again the case last Saturday night.

Columbus entered the third leading 3-1 after second period goals from the captain Rick Nash, Mark Methot, and Jared Boll.

The Jackets held that lead all the way under the six-minute mark. However, Columbus allowed two goals in the span of 1:19, sending the game to overtime.

In the shootout, the first two shooters for each team scored, sending the shootout to a fourth shooter.

Jamie Lundmark put one past Mason to give the Flames the win.

It was the fifth straight loss for Columbus.

St. Louis:

After dropping five of six games to the Blues a year ago, the Blue Jackets won the first game between the teams this season.

Columbus forward R.J. Umberger recorded his second career hat-trick in the 5-2 win. The Ohio State alum’s only other three-goal performance came while he was still playing for Philadelphia on Dec. 11, 2007 against Pittsburgh.

Russell and Vermette also added goals for Columbus.

Steve Mason made 27 saves for Columbus in the win.

The game was not all good news for the Blue Jackets however, as they lost defenseman Rostislav Klesla to injury.

Klelsa had to helped off the ice by teammates and trainers after a collision with St. Louis’ Barret Jackman.

Tuesday, the club announced that Klesla suffered a torn groin and is expected to miss four to six weeks.

At Chicago:

With a 4-3 shootout loss, Columbus extended its point streak to three games.

However, the Blue Jackets again surrendered a third period lead, sending the game to overtime.

After a scoreless OT period, the teams entered what would become the longest shootout in Blackhawks history.

After Jakub Voracek tied the score at one in the third round of the shootout, eight more rounds ensued before a winner was determined.

Brent Seabrook finally put one behind Mason to give Chicago the victory.

The Youth:

Kris Russell has tallied two goals and two assists in his last two games.

Also, Nikita Filatov has five goals, 10 points, and a +7 rating in six games for CSKA Moscow of the KHL.

Power Play Watch:

Columbus was 1-6 on the pp at Ottawa, 1-2 against Calgary, 0-5 against St. Louis, and 0-3 at Chicago, bring the season total to 25-104, or 24 percent, third best in the NHL.

The Kill:

The Jackets fought off 3 of 4 power plays at Ottawa, 2-3 against Calgary, 3-4 against St. Louis, and 2-4 at Chicago.

This brings the season total to 94-121, or 77.7 percent. This ranks 22^nd in the NHL

Central Race:

Chicago leads in the central with 37 points. Nashville and Columbus follow with 31. Next is Detroit with 30, then St. Louis with 25.

Injury Report:

The Blue Jackets have placed defenseman Rusty Klesla on IR and is expect him to miss 4-6 weeks.

Up Next:

The Blue Jackets return home on Thursday to face Eastern Conference foe Toronto.

The Leafs are last place in the Northeast Division but are 4-2-4 in their last 10 road games.

Saturday, Columbus will face the Colorado Avalanche, who have cooled off lately after a hot start.

Last Four:

At Dallas:

Life after Nikita began for the Blue Jackets on the road against division foe Dallas.

Columbus captain Rich Nash got Columbus on the board with his 14^th goal of the year followed by a goal by Kristian Huselius with only one second remaining in the opening period.

Huselius scored his added goal of the game in the second period. Raffi Torres also added his ninth goal of the season and Columbus cruised to a 4-1 victory.

Steve Mason made 25 saves in the win.

Dallas’ James Neal was assessed a five-minute major for boarding and a game misconduct for this second period hit on Columbus’ Derek Dorsett.

Neal also received a two-game suspension from the NHL at a hearing last Friday.

At Nashville:

R.J. Umberger scored his fifth and sixth goals of the year and Anton Stralman scored his third of the campaign en route to a 3-3 tie at the end of regulation.

Shootout goals by Nashville’s Michael Santorelli and David Legwand gave the Predators the 4-3 win.

Nashville torched the nets all night long, registering 48 shots total compared to just 29 by Columbus.

Saturday’s overtime loss marked Columbus’ 12^th straight loss in Nashville.

At New York:

The Blue Jackets got off to an early 2-0 lead in the first period with goals from fourth-liners Derek MacKenzie and Jared Boll.

But lately for the Blue Jackets, when it rains, it pours. This time, Columbus gave up seven consecutive goals to fall behind 7-2.

Huselius and Voracek added goals for Columbus to reach the 7-4 final.

After starting the game, Columbus goaltender Steve Mason was pulled early in the second period after giving up 4 quick goals.

In the second, Blue Jackets goaltenders gave up three goals in only 1:11, setting a franchise mark.

At Montreal:

All season long, Columbus has had problems with maintaining leads; such was the case again Tuesday night.

Powered by two Antoine Vermette goals, Columbus entered the final period leading 3-2. However, the Blue Jackets allowed three third-period goals to give the Canadiens the 5-3 win.

Columbus outshot Montreal 36-29.

With the loss, the Jackets fell to 1-2-1 on a season-high five-game road trip that will end Thursday night in Ottawa.

The Youth:

After claiming the Calder Memorial Trophy as the league’s top rookie a year ago, Columbus goaltender Steve Mason appears to be experiencing a sophomore slump.

In the 17 games that Mason has started, he has seen his goals against average skyrocket to 3.59, while his save percentage has fallen to .885, both among the worst in the league of starting goaltenders.

Power Play Watch:

On the power play, Columbus was 3-7 against Dallas, 1-3 at Nashville, 0-1 against New York, and 2-4 at Montreal.

This brings the season total to 23-88, or 26.1 percent, up nearly three percent from a week ago.

Columbus now leads all NHL teams in power play percentage. This continues to be an area of great strength for Columbus. My, how one year can make a difference.

The Kill:

On the penalty kill, the Blue Jackets were 4-4 against the Stars, 6-8 verse the Predators, 3-4 against the Rangers, and 3-3 verses the Canadiens.

This puts the season total at 84-106, or 79.2 percent.

After leading the league in penalty kill percentage early on in the season, the kill has become an area where Columbus has struggled mightily of late.

One possible explanation for the poor play on the kill is the fact that the Jackets are forced to kill so many in general.

Columbus has played shorthanded 106 times so far this season, good enough for third in the NHL.

Cutting down on penalties could go a long way for a team near top of the league in scoring.

Central Race:

The Chicago Blackhawks have a five-point lead over Nashville and Columbus who each have 27 points.

Chicago has won seven in a row and Nashville has a six game win streak.

With 22 games played, Detroit has totaled 26 points.

St. Louis is in last place with 20 points.

Injury Report:

The Blue Jackets have placed forward Derek Dorsett on Injured Reserve retroactive to Nov 19. after taking a dirty hit from Dallas’ James Neal.

Up Next:

The Blue Jackets will play one more road game, at Ottawa Thursday night, before returning home to face Calgary and St. Louis.

The Senators are in second place in the Northeast Division with 25 points, and are led by center Daniel Alfredsson with 23 total points this season.

Former Columbus goalie Pascal LeClaire is unlikely to play for the Senators after taking a puck to the face Monday night against Washington.

Last Three:

At San Jose:

After successive wins over Minnesota and Vancouver to start the season, the Blue Jackets took their winning streak on the road to face Dany Heatley and the San Jose Sharks.

Columbus struck first with an opening period goal from Rick Nash, but San Jose was relentless, scoring four times in the second, and twice again in the third to reach the 6-3 final.

Heatley, acquired by the Sharks from Ottawa only a month ago, recorded his eighth career hat-trick, with the third goal coming on a late-game penalty shot.

At Phoenix:

Recently acquired goaltender Mathieu Garon got his first start Saturday night in Phoenix, and capitalized on the opportunity.

Garon was perfect, stopping all 36 Coyote shots, and leading his team to a 2-0 victory in the desert. It was the first shutout of the year from CBJ net-minders, after reigning Calder Memorial Trophy winner Steve Mason recorded ten a year ago.

Rick Nash tallied his second goal of the season on a beautiful tic-tac-toe pass from Huselius and Brassard. R.J. Umberger put the icing on the cake with an empty net goal with 17 seconds remaining, also his second on the year.

Calgary:

Tuesday evening’s affair was the first game back on home ice since the season opener, and offered a tough test in the then 4-1-1 Calgary Flames.

Calgary got on the board first with a goal from former Blue Jacket Curtis Glenncross, and led 1-0 after one.

The Blue Jackets countered with two goals just 2:04 apart, scored by two former Flames in Anton Stralman and Kristian Hueslius, the first coming on a five-on-three man advantage late in the second period.

Rick Nash assisted on both goals, extending his multi-point game steak to four. Huselius has also put-up points in four straight games.

Mason was able to hang on for the victory, making  22 saves in a 2-1 Columbus victory.

The Youth:

After spending a brief one game stint down on the second line, Derick Brassard returned to the top line for Saturday night’s game against Phoenix, and has played well since, recording assists and creating opportunities in both games.

Jakub Voracek and Nikita Filatov have been quiet recently; both were pointless through the past three. Filatov was a healthy scratch against Calgary.

Mathieu Roy tallied an assist on a Chimera goal at San Jose, and is +1 on the year.

Power Play Watch:

Columbus was 1-3 on the PP against San Jose, 0-2 against Phoenix, and 1-4 against Calgary. This brings the season total to 3-15, or 20%

The power play was an area of need for the Jackets a year ago. The 20% the team is averaging this year is much improved from the 11% the team averaged last year.

The Kill:

The penalty kill, on the other hand, seems to be an area of great strength for the Blue Jackets. Columbus entered Tuesday night’s game as the best penalty-killing team in the NHL, and did not do anything to hurt that status, killing off the only penalty they took all night.

Columbus was 4-4 on the kill at San Jose and 6-6 at Phoenix, including a late-game double minor to Derick Brassard.

On the year, Columbus has killed 17 of 18 penalties, or 94%.

Fortunately the Jackets have done a good job killing off the penalties, but an even better way to prevent power play goals is to stay out of the box in general, somewhere many Jackets have spent significant time over the past few games.

Central Race:

With eight points, Columbus has claimed their spot at the top of the central, but is closely followed by Chicago, who sits just a point away with a 3-1-1 record.

St. Louis, Nashville, and Detroit each have four points.

Chicago leads in goals for with 19, while Columbus leads in goals against average with 2.2.

In recent years, with Columbus, Chicago, and St. Louis all struggling, the division was know as the “Comedy Central.” Now, the division may be the best in all of hockey. Who’s laughing now?

Injury Report:

Defenseman Mike Commodore (groin) and winger Fredrik Modin (knee) both remain on the injured reserve.

Commodore is listed as questionable for Saturday night’s game against the Los Angeles Kings and Modin is expected to be out until at least late October.

Up Next:

The Blue Jackets face off against the 4-1 Los Angeles Kings Saturday Oct. 17 at Nationwide Arena, then head back on the road for a four-game western trip making stops in Calgary, Edmonton, Anaheim, and Los Angeles.

The Kings have won four in a row after dropping their season opener and are led by wingers Anze Kopitar and Ryan Smith who each have four goals on the season.

The Blue Jackets have been getting good play from the entire team and have propelled themselves to victories over Minnesota on Saturday, and at Vancouver on Monday. Here is the midweek report.

Last two games: 2-0

The Jackets opened the ’09 season with a 2-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild, in front of a sold-out Nationwide Arena on Saturday night.

The teams played a relatively uneventful first period after a rambunctious pre-game opening ceremony, ending play in a scoreless tie.

The Jackets were on the board for the first time of the year in the second period when forward R.J. Umberger scored on a shorthanded breakaway goal. Moments later Captain Rick Nash was presented with the same opportunity, but was not able to capitalize on the breakaway.

Minnesota tied the score with a third period goal from Andrew Brunette at 4:43. Minutes later, the only remaining original Blue Jacket celebrated his new four-year deal with the club by putting the finishing touches on the teams first victory of the year.

Rostislav Klesla scored at 10:10 of the third and the reigning Calder Memorial Trophy winner Steve Mason held on for the win. Mason finished with 32 saves in all.

Monday night’s affair with the Vancouver Canucks offered a new test for Columbus. It was the first road game of the year, and the first of a three game western road trip for the Jackets.

Vancouver struck first, at 15:29 in the first, but Columbus responded, killing off a five-on-three man advantage and scoring just moments after the penalty expired to end the first in a 1-1 tie.

The Jackets would add three consecutive goals in the second, scored by Huselius, Klesla, and Filatov before Vancouver added one more to close the cap to 4-2.

The Canucks made it close with a third period goal from Willie Mitchell, but Columbus added some insurance courtesy of a power play goal from Fedor Tyutin with 4:57 to play.

With the win, Columbus climbed to 2-0, while Vancouver fell to 0-3 for the first time since 2001 despite averaging 40 shots a game.

The young guys:

The younger guys performed well in the first two games. Nikita Filatov tallied his first goal of the season against Vancouver. Brassard seems to be fully recovered from his surgery and the shoulder injury he suffered last December, and appears to be poised to center the top line with great strength.

Jakub Voracek is bigger and stronger, and posted assists in both games. Even young Mathieu Roy has gotten in on the action, and has filled in nicely while Mike Commodore had missed time due to injury.

Power play watch:

Columbus was 0-2 on the PP on Saturday night and 1-4 with the man advantage on Monday. That puts the season total at 1-6, or for those of you who can’t do it in your head, about 17%.

The penalty kill was 3-4 on Saturday and 4-4 on Monday, bringing the season total to 7-8 or 87.5%.

Central Race:

The Jackets currently sit in a two-way tie atop the Central Division. St. Louis is also 2-0 while Chicago lurks close behind with three points at 1-0-1.  Nashville is in fourth with a 1-0 record and Detroit is bringing up the rear at 0-2.

St. Louis leads the division in goals for with 9, while Detroit leads in goals against with 9.

Injury report:

After taking a cheap hit Monday night from Vancouver’s Darcy Hordichuk, Jared Boll was taken off the ice and is listed as questionable for Thursday night’s game. Fredrik Modin is still on the IR due to knee problems. Mike Commodore is expected to play against San Jose on Thursday.

Next up:

Thursday night, 10:30 pm at San Jose.

Will most likely be the premiere of new Jackets defenseman Anton Stralman.

San Jose is 1-2 coming off a 6-4 loss at Los Angeles.

The Sharks sit in a four-way tie atop the Pacific Division with two points.

To join the call, simly follow this link.  Hope to see you there — should be fun!

We will be having R.J. Umberger as a special guest. Umberger has quickly become the heart and soul of the Blue Jackets. Getting his comments and opinions of the upcoming season will be very intriguing!

Also, we will have Assistant Coach Gary Agnew join the discussion. We will get the opportunity to get the view from behind the bench and what he is able to see for the new season.

I will be having special round table of writers & broadcasters that cover the Blue Jackets. Lori Schmidt from 97.1 The Fan and The Fourth Period, Bart Logan from FireTheCannon.com, Jeff Little from Inside Hockey, Bethany Porter from Kukla’s Korner and John Arvai from Light The Lamp. I also will be having guests from the Blue Jackets and I will announce those as soon as I get confirmation who they will be.

If you can’t call in for the show, be sure to shoot me an email with your questions and you can always download the show at iTunes or TalkShoe.com.

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