JACKETS NIP PREDATORS BEHIND MASON’S GOALTENDING

With the local media calling it ‘the biggest game in franchise history’, the Columbus Blue Jackets used a third period goal from Raffi Torres and some solid goaltending from rookie phenom Steve Mason to take a 2-1 decision from the Nashville Predators on Tuesday night.  The victory solidified the Jackets hold on sixth place in the NHL’s Western Conference and all but assures them of the franchise’s first ever Stanley Cup playoff berth. 

Based on the head to head history between the two teams, this was in no way an easy matchup for Columbus.  In the previous twenty meetings between the two teams, Nashville had only lost once in regulation for a 17-1-2 mark.  For the entire history of the franchise, Columbus was a woeful 10-34-1 against the Preds and for much of the first period it appeared that the pattern would continue as Nashville took the lead at 8:28 on Cal O'Reilly’s goal assisted by Steve Sullivan and Joel Ward.  The Jackets would head to the locker room tied at 1-1, however, as R.J. Umberger ‘put the biscuit in the basket’ with less than a minute remaining set up by Antoine Vermette and Jason Williams.  Despite this goal, the first twenty minutes were a tour de force for Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne as the Blue Jackets outshot the Predators 17-6 in the period.

The defense would take center stage in the scoreless second period with the two teams combining for only 14 shots on goal.  This stalemate would be broken early in the third as Columbus’ Raffi Torres scored what would prove to be the eventual game winning goal assisted by Michael Peca and Jared Boll.  The Jackets’ defense did the rest, limiting Nashville to 7 shots on goal in the final period to preserve the 2-1 victory.

Torres has scored five game winning goals in the Jackets’ last ten victories, and the team is now 10-0 when he lights the lamp.  After the game an amused Torres dismissed his significance on the team’s fortunes:

"To be honest with you, I think it's a fluke. I didn't even know about it. I've just got to keep doing what I'm doing and hopefully we'll keep going."

Columbus coach Ken Hitchcock disagreed with his forward, suggesting that there was nothing ‘fluky’ about it:

"He scores big goals all the time. He's had a huge impact on a lot of games in the last month."

The Jackets’ R.J. Umberger underscored the importance his team placed on this game:

"We approached this as the biggest game of the year. We set ourselves up the first two periods. The third period, we said, 'This is the biggest period right here. We've got to find a way to win this.' We outplayed them. And we can't let it slip."

Columbus and Nashville will play a rematch of this game in the ‘Music City’ on Saturday before the Jackets begin a ‘home and home’ series with the Chicago Blackhawks.  They’ll host the first game of the set on Sunday before heading to Chicago for the finale.  Nashville will play at Chicago on Friday before returning home for the aforementioned game against Columbus.  They’ll then host the Blackhawks on Tuesday night.