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Nash's two goals help spur Blue Jackets past Coyotes

Mar 4, 2007 - 6:02 AM GLENDALE, Arizona (Ticker) -- When the Columbus Blue Jackets face the Phoenix Coyotes, Rick Nash's eyes light up.

Nash scored two goals and set up another as the Blue Jackets posted a 4-3 victory over the Coyotes.

Jason Chimera and Fredrik Modin also tallied, and Geoff Platt and David Vyborny added two assists apiece for Columbus, which went 2-1-1 in the season series.

"This win was huge," Nash said. "Tonight, I thought we played well and stuck to the system."

Nash, who has recorded four goals and five assists in the four meetings between the teams, gave the Blue Jackets a 1-0 lead just 2:37 into the game.

The former Maurice Richard Trophy winner completed his fifth two-goal performance of the season - and second in three contests - just 5 1/2 minutes into the third period, when he received a cross-ice pass from Vyborny and wristed the puck past the glove of goaltender Curtis Joseph for a 4-2 advantage.

"Nash is just playing well," Blue Jackets coach Ken Hitchcock said. "He could have had four goals tonight, easy. If he keeps going at this pace, he is going to end up as a plus player and hopefully end up with over 30 goals."

Former Coyote Brian Boucher stopped 32 shots in his first start for Columbus after being claimed off waivers from Chicago on Tuesday.

"It is nice to beat a team that traded you away," Boucher said. "It was real nice. At the same time, it is nice to get your first win out of the way with your new team."

Captain Shane Doan and defenseman Keith Ballard scored power-play goals and Jeff Taffe added his first tally of the season for Phoenix, which has lost three of four overall and just two of its last eight at home against Columbus.

"Our guys played hard again, but it was another tough loss," Coyotes coach Wayne Gretzky said. "We need each and every guy to contribute and play the same way Shane does each night. If they play as hard as he does, we will be fine."