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Leclaire, Boll lead Blue Jackets past Blackhawks

Jan 25, 2008 - 5:47 AM CHICAGO (Ticker) -- Pascal Leclaire stopped all 30 shots he faced and rookie Jared Boll scored the game's lone goal as the Columbus Blue Jackets posted a 1-0 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday.

Columbus, which has won two straight, finished off its first winning road trip in nearly two years.

Leclaire, who leads the league with eight shutouts this season, is a big reason the Blue Jackets head into the All-Star break on a high note.

The former first-round selection - eighth overall - in the 2001 draft, Leclaire stopped nine shots in the first period, seven in the second and 14 in the third to record the ninth shutout of his career.

"We expect efforts like this from Pascal every night now," Columbus coach Ken Hitchcock said. "He is giving us a chance to win every game. I think our guys are playing for him up front."

"The shutouts are just a bonus to me," Leclaire said. "They are fun to get. Right now, we are winning games and this is the first time in Columbus at this point of the season (that) we are in the mix."

Boll gave Leclaire all the offense he would need by scoring 7:20 into the second period.

The 21-year-old deflected a slap shot from defenseman Ole-Kristian Tollefsen past Nikolai Khabibulin for his fifth goal of the season.

"(Tollefsen) just made a great pass and I got a stick on it," Boll said. "The puck just happened to go over (Khabibulin's) shoulder. This is a great win for our team and a good way to go into the break."

Khabibulin was impressive in his first start since January 11, stopping 26 shots.

However, it was not enough as Chicago failed to take advantage of its only home game in 31 days.

After the game, Blackhawks coach Denis Savard unloaded on his team.

"I don't care how good you are - if you won't battle, you won't play here," Savard said.

"If some guys have to be sat to wake up, so be it. Our guys didn't want to battle, their guys did. You have to work in this league, if you get a cut or bruise, so be it. Last time I checked, guys are getting pretty good money to do it (work hard)."

Savard didn't stop there, launching more shots at his team.

"This is as disappointed with our team as I have been all season, no doubt," Savard said. "There was nothing to save it for, we have three days off and in front of this crowd is unacceptable."

Coming off a three-game road trip, combined with the All-Star break and another seven-game road trip, the Blackhawks won't see the United Center ice again until February 17.

"It's frustrating, we really wanted this win," Blackhawks right wing Patrick Sharp said. "We know now every game at home or on the road will be very important after the break."