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Blue Jackets weather Wild comeback attempt

Oct 4, 2008 - 2:06 AM By Dave Holstein PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

COLUMBUS, Ohio (Ticker) -- Captain Rick Nash collected three assists while Kristian Huselius and R.J. Umberger each scored a goal and set up another as the Columbus Blue Jackets posted a 5-3 preseason victory over the Minnesota Wild on Friday.

The Blue Jackets jumped to a three-goal lead but were unable to put away the game until the final session as the Wild rallied to forge a 3-3 tie in the second period.

Defenseman Kris Russell buried a loose puck from the top of the crease at 10:42 of the third period for a 4-3 advantage. Manny Malhotra sealed the win with a shorthanded empty-netter with 55 seconds remaining.

Craig MacDonald opened the scoring by backhanding a rebound past goaltender Niklas Backstrom 2:49 into the contest. Umberger doubled the advantage with 33 seconds left in the first with a power-play goal.

Huselius made it 3-0 midway through the second, scoring his third of the preseason on a shot from the slot. But the Wild tied the game with three goals in a span of 2:14 in the middle session.

Owen Nolan scored on the power play, putting a blast from the point through traffic and past netminder Pascal Leclaire with 5:50 left. After a turnover by Nash deep in his own zone, Marian Gaborik scored from between the faceoff circles 58 seconds later.

James Sheppard knotted the contest 76 seconds afterward, tapping in a loose puck from just to the right of the crease.

Backstrom made 36 saves for the Wild, who were outshot, 10-4, in the first period.

Leclaire allowed three goals on 15 shots before being replaced after two sessions by Fredrik Norrena, who turned aside all 12 shots he faced in the third.