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Dumont, Predators continue mastery of Blue Jackets

Dec 24, 2007 - 3:19 AM COLUMBUS, Ohio (Ticker) -- The Nashville Predators used the case of the invisible goal to continue their mastery of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

J.P. Dumont scored a game-winning goal that needed the assistance of replay to help the Predators defeat the Blue Jackets, 3-1, on Sunday.

David Legwand scored the game's initial goal and Jed Ortmeyer added an empty-netter with under five seconds left for Nashville, which has won 11 consecutive games against Columbus.

"I really don't have an explanation for our play against them," Predators coach Barry Trotz said. "I just looked at today as a real challenge because it was our second game in 21 hours. We knew the (Blue Jackets) were going to come out hard and they did. But we got stronger as the game went on. It was a real good win for us."

"I don't know what it is with (Nashville)," Blue Jackets captain Adam Foote said. "We don't think about or talk about it but we just have to keep working and find a way to beat this team."

With the score tied at 1-1 with under a minute left in the third period, Dumont blasted a rocket that blew by goaltender Fredrik Norrena. The puck hit the back of the Columbus net so fast before bouncing out that it was not recorded as a goal.

"I knew it was in," Dumont said. "It was exactly the spot I was looking for. They didn't have to go upstairs, I knew it was in. It was just a matter of how much time would be put back on the clock."

"From the bench it looked like it was in," Foote said. "It looked like the mesh moved. It wasn't a good feeling."

However, after a protest by the Predators, the referees went to video review that confirmed the tally, giving Nashville a 2-1 lead with 38 seconds remaining.

"J.P. put it up there in a really nice spot," Trotz said. "We were pretty sure that it went in."

"Yeah, it was a goal," Blue Jackets coach Ken Hitchcock said. "We knew from our video guy that is was a goal. We moved on and prepared for the goalie-pull."

After the officials reset the game clock which had wound down to zero, Ortmeyer knocked in a empty-net goal with four seconds remaining after Norrena had been pulled.

The Predators' Legwand scored the only goal through the first 51 minutes of the contest.

On a power play, Alexander Radulov took a shot from the right faceoff circle that rebounded out to Legwand, who blasted it past the glove of Norrena with 5:53 left in the middle session.

"It was a hard shot that came right to me," Legwand said. "I just took my time and was able to shoot the puck hard and it found its way into the net."

It was Legwand's eighth goal of the year.

The Blue Jackets leveled the score with 8:14 remaining in the third period.

Dan Fritsche gained control of the puck behind the net, and his wrap-around shot past netminder Chris Mason tied the game at 1-1.

"We really needed something to get us going," Fritsche said. "It was a big goal that got us back in the game. It's a shame that they played last night and we didn't take advantage of it. We kind of held back a little bit, they turned up the heat and we didn't respond."

Mason stopped 30 shots to improve to 7-1-0 all-time against the Blue Jackets.

Norrena made 29 saves for Columbus, which has lost three of four.