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Blue Jackets finally turn tables on Predators

Jan 13, 2008 - 4:52 AM COLUMBUS, Ohio (Ticker) -- It wasn't easy, but the Columbus Blue Jackets finally found a way to pick up a win against the Nashville Predators.

Defenseman Rostislav Klesla tied the game in the third period and Nikolai Zherdev recorded the only tally of the shootout to lead the Blue Jackets to a 2-1 victory over Predators in a battle of Central Division rivals on Saturday.

The Predators were looking for their 13th consecutive win over the Blue Jackets, having swept the eight-game season series in 2006-07 and outscoring the Blue Jackets, 15-8, during the first four meetings between the clubs this season.

"It's just math," Nashville coach Barry Trotz said. "You play a team enough times, sooner or later they are going to get one."

"In the games against Nashville, we've always been the first team to crack," Columbus coach Ken Hitchcock said. "We stayed with it tonight, and that's what I was happiest about."

Zherdev led off the shootout by beating goaltender Chris Mason low to the stick side. Michael Peca and Rick Nash failed to convert for Columbus, but netminder Pascal Leclaire made Zherdev's tally stand up, giving the Blue Jackets their first win over the Predators since April 3, 2006.

"I was patient," Mason said. "He's a good shooter. He just pulls and changes the angle. He had the whole right side of the net, and he put it in there."

"We needed someone to step up big, and he stepped up yesterday and today," Hitchcock said of Zherdev, who scored twice in Friday's 6-4 win over St. Louis. "Your best players have to be your best players at this time of year, especially with so much at stake for everybody."

Leclaire made 26 saves and stopped Alexander Radulov, Martin Erat and J.P. Dumont in the bonus format to clinch the win.

"I played with him all summer," Leclaire said of Dumont. "All summer, he kind of deked me, so I was expecting that, trying to be patient. When he shot, I was right there. You just kind of go with the flow in the shootout."

"I think Pazzy (Leclaire) gave us a chance to win," Hitchcock said. "He played better tonight than he did yesterday, and we really needed him in the third period and the overtime. He gives us a chance to win every night, and that's what you want."

After a scoreless first period in which each team only registered five shots on goal and few scoring chances, Nashville took a 1-0 lead late in the second.

Radulov took a pass from Dumont and unleashed a one-timer from the left faceoff dot that beat Leclaire high to the glove side at 18:35. It was the Russian's 13th tally of the season.

"A good pass and I was just trying to get it on net," Radulov said.

Midway through the third, Klesla tied it at 1-1 with a low shot from the top of the slot off a feed from Zherdev.

"(Zherdev) made a good forecheck, made a good read on the defenseman," Klesla said. "I was kind of following up the play, hoping the puck would get past. I shot it low. It was good to even up the game."

Mason made 28 saves for Nashville.

"I felt pretty good. I think both sides did a pretty good job defensively, letting us see the puck, for the most part," Mason said. "When we did have rebounds, the guys did a good job of clearing them out.

"I think that's a little more our style, how we have to play. I think Columbus has been successful and solid playing that way, and it was that kind of game."