• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Mason, Jackets blank Preds

Feb 23, 2011 - 4:29 AM Columbus, OH (Sports Network) - Rick Nash scored twice and Steve Mason stopped all 20 shots to record his third shutout of the season, as the Columbus Blue Jackets tallied four times in the third period to get by the Nashville Predators, 4-0, at Nationwide Arena.

Matt Calvert and Antoine Vermette also lit the lamp for the Blue Jackets, who have gone 7-1-1 in their last nine contests. Kris Russell had a pair of assists for the victors.

Mason also blanked Nashville on November 22nd and now has 18 shutouts for his career. The goaltender improved to 6-1-0 in his last seven starts.

"I think everything is coming around at the right time," Mason said about his recent play.

Pekka Rinne stopped 26 shots for Nashville, which suffered a 3-2 setback to Phoenix on Saturday and has dropped three of its last four.

Each netminder turned aside 17 shots through two periods to keep the game scoreless after 40 minutes of action.

However, Nash got the Blue Jackets on the board on a fantastic individual effort at 1:11 of the third. The Columbus captain carried the puck down the right wing boards, fought off a defender's check, pulled in front and stuffed a forehander past Rinne.

Columbus then struck for two more just under 5 1/2 minutes apart. First, it was Clavert capitalizing on a misplay by Rinne from behind the Nashville net and scoring into an open net at 4:29 while on the power play.

Vermette's deflection of a Russell pass at 9:49 put the Blue Jackets up by a commanding 3-0 advantage. Nash tallied with the man advantage with 51 seconds remaining to close out the scoring.

Game Notes

Predators defenseman Ryan Suter missed the game with a lower-body injury...Columbus forward Derek Dorsett returned to the ice after sitting out the last three games with a concussion, but the Blue Jackets were without forward Kristian Huselius (lower-body injury)...Columbus improved to 15-13-2 at Nationwide Arena this season, while Nashville fell to 17-15-1 road.