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Nash leads Blue Jackets over Predators

Oct 18, 2008 - 3:35 AM By Dave Holstein PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

COLUMBUS, Ohio (Ticker) -- If the Columbus Blue Jackets continue to produce, coach Ken Hitchcock will not care how stressed he becomes.

Captain Rick Nash scored two goals and fellow former first-round picks Nikita Filatov and Jakub Voracek added tallies as the Blue Jackets held on to defeat the Nashville Predators, 5-3, on Friday.

Jason Chimera also scored while Kristian Huselius and Fredrik Modin each notched two assists for Columbus.

"It was entertaining as (heck) and wildly exciting, and that's probably what it's going to be for a little while," Hitchcock said. "A few more like this and they are going to put us in the loony bin. It's exciting. We're never going to be out of a game with this team."

Nash scored on the first shot of the game for Columbus when he buried a wrister from the left faceoff dot 4:25 into the first period, beating goaltender Pekka Rinne just inside the near goalpost.

"It seems like every game, we've been having periods where we've been slacking, having mental breakdowns, and it happened again tonight," Nash said. "But the main thing is, we got two points."

The Blue Jackets then set a franchise record by scoring goals just eight seconds apart, edging the old record of 14 set in 2006.

Filatov, the sixth overall pick in this past June's draft, scored in his NHL debut with 5:42 left in the session.

"I feel very happy," the 18-year-old Filatov said. "I waited a long time for this moment and this game, and I am very proud to play as hard as I can."

Voracek - the seventh overall selection in 2007 - tallied eight seconds later, deflecting a backhand pass from Derick Brassard past Rinne, who yielded three goals on eight shots before being replaced by Dan Ellis.

"I am just trying to help the team," Voracek said. "I score a goal tonight and we win, 5-3, so that's good for whole team."

Nash netted his second goal of the game on a power play just 23 seconds into the middle session. The three-time All-Star dished to Huselius in the corner and cut to the net before converting a return pass from the doorstep to give the Blue Jackets a 4-0 lead.

"It was good to score and get off to a good start at home," Nash said.

Nashville got back in the game with three unanswered goals.

Defenseman Greg de Vries scored from the top of the left faceoff circle 8:12 into the second, beating netminder Pascal Leclaire. Scott Nichol tallied 11 seconds later, and J.P. Dumont cut the deficit to 4-3 just 98 seconds into the third, skating out from the corner and firing a backhander past Leclaire.

"They scored some big goals, but we came back," Dumont said. "They got some big saves from Leclaire. In the second and third periods, we played better, but those power-play goals were key for them."

Columbus regained a two-goal advantage when Chimera scored his first goal of the season with the man advantage 8:49 into the third. Chimera poked a loose puck from the top of the crease under the pads of Ellis to secure the victory.

"I thought we came back pretty well," said Nashville coach Barry Trotz, whose team hosts Columbus on Saturday. "Obviously, the fifth goal was a big one. I'm sure the intensity will get ramped up."

Leclaire left with just over five minutes remaining in the game with a thumb injury. The 25-year-old stopped 24 of the 27 shots he faced before exiting.

"He has a bruised thumb," Hitchcock said. "He'll be fine. We are going to bring up (Dan) LaCosta up for the game (Saturday) in Nashville. A broken thumb has been ruled out."

Ellis turned aside 18 shots for Nashville, which had beaten Columbus in 15 of the previous 16 meetings between the clubs.

A tribute to the late John H McConnell was held prior to the contest. McConnell, the Blue Jackets' founder and majority owner who died in July, was instrumental in bringing an NHL franchise to Columbus.