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Jackets edge Flames in shootout

Mar 19, 2012 - 4:06 AM Calgary, AB (Sports Network) - Cam Atkinson scored the only goal of a shootout and the Columbus Blue Jackets snapped a four-game losing streak Sunday with a 2-1 win over the Calgary Flames.

Atkinson, in his first NHL shootout, deked to his forehand and ran into Flames goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff as he slipped the puck into the right side of the net in the fourth round.

Steven Mason then stopped Jarome Iginla's shot at the other end for his fourth save in the shootout, giving the Flames their second straight loss.

"It's disappointing we didn't get two points out of it," said Calgary head coach Brent Sutter. "Obviously we need points and I thought after the first 15 minutes of the game we started moving and moving our feet and we started taking the momentum away."

Mason made 28 saves in relief of Curtis Sanford, who had to be helped off the ice in the first period after suffering what the Blue Jackets said was a lower body injury.

Nikita Nikitin scored for Columbus in the first period, but Matt Stajan tied the game for the Flames in the third. Calgary picked up a point, but remained 11th in the Western Conference -- 11 points out of a possible playoff spot.

Miikka Kiprusoff faced only 18 shots in the loss, stopping 17.

Sanford made two saves in 14 1/2 minutes and had just covered the puck before he labored off, seemingly in a lot of pain, with his arms around the shoulders of two teammates.

Later, Mason was also shaken up after being knocked backwards into the net at the end of a play.

The Blue Jackets were on short rest after a 4-3 loss in Vancouver on Saturday night. They finished 1-4 in a five-game stretch where they played four games away from home, including the last three.

"For us, it was tough. We got in late last night," said Mason. "I think the guys were a little tired but they worked hard."

Nikitin scored on a one-timer from the high right side with 6:57 remaining in the first period. The Blue Jackets only had three shots on net in the second in what head coach Todd Richards said was an embarrassing period.

Curtis Glencross set up Stajan's game-tying goal with 11:26 left in regulation on a pass from behind the net that found his teammate for a one-timer just feet from the goal on the low left side.

Game Notes

Columbus won three of four meetings between the teams this season...Sanford was activated off injured reserve Feb. 22 after missing around two weeks, also with a lower body injury...Blue Jackets defenseman James Wisniewski also went off after deflecting the puck into his own face...Columbus has an NHL-worst 51 points...The Blue Jackets were 0-for-2 and Calgary 0-for-4 on the power play.