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Nash's hat trick powers Blue Jackets past Red Wings

Jan 28, 2009 - 4:34 AM By Dave Holstein PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

COLUMBUS, Ohio (Ticker) -- All-Star Rick Nash capped his third career hat trick by scoring with 93 seconds remaining in overtime as the Columbus Blue Jackets recorded a 3-2 triumph over the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday in a battle of Central Division rivals.

The captain also netted both a shorthanded and power-play goal, defenseman Mike Commodore notched two assists and rookie Steve Mason turned aside 21 shots for Columbus, which improved to 5-2-1 in its last eight games.

"We're not pretending we are in a race - we're in a race," Columbus coach Ken Hitchcock said. "It's a battle, and the players recognize the situation. Games matter, every point is important."

"He scored three goals," Detroit coach Mike Babcock said of Nash. "I mean, he is a good hockey player. Your best player has to be your best player, that's why you pay them all that money. And if they aren't your best players, then you are not going to win."

Marian Hossa scored a power-play goal and defenseman Brett Lebda also tallied for Detroit, which was playing without center Pavel Datsyuk and captain Nicklas Lidstrom. The pair served their one-game suspensions imposed by the league for failing to attend the All-Star festivities this past weekend in Montreal.

Already shorthanded, the Red Wings lost center Henrik Zetterberg to injury in this one. The veteran Swede left the game late in the first period with back spasms.

"We came in here tonight and we knew we were going to be shorthanded," Babcock said. "But that's the way life is. All in all, I thought we had a good effort and we took care of the third period really well and had every chance to win the game.

"For example, when we had our second power play tonight, we had no Pav (Datsyuk), no (Henrik) Zetterberg and no (Nicklas) Lidstrom. It's not quite as smooth on the power play. That's just the way it is."

Chris Osgood made 20 saves for the Red Wings, who fell to 0-2-1 in their last three contests.

In overtime, Nash knocked in a loose puck from the doorstep to notch his second career hat trick against Detroit. He also accomplished the feat in a 6-5 overtime victory over the Red Wings on April 7, 2006.

"Things just went my way tonight," Nash said. "It was a great team effort. That's one of the best teams in the league, and for us to be down a couple of times and come back, it was a good two points."

"I thought we were the better team in the first period and they were the better team in the third period," Hitchcock said. "Tonight, we got away with one. Our best player answered with a great goal."

With his team on the power play, Hossa opened the scoring 8:55 into the first period with his 23rd goal of the season.

"The puck just came hard off the board," Hossa said. "It came right to me, and all I had to do was knock it in."

Nash leveled the contest with a shorthander with 8:55 to go in the second. The 24-year-old intercepted a pass in the neutral zone, skated in on Osgood and slipped the puck between his pads to tie the game at 1-1.

After Lebda restored Detroit's advantage just 29 seconds later, Nash netted his second of the night to again knot the contest. During a man advantage, Nash's wrist shot from the left faceoff circle caromed off the stick of defenseman Brian Rafalski and past Osgood with 5:39 remaining in the session.