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Chimera tallies in overtime as Blue Jackets top Blackhawks

Jan 17, 2007 - 4:33 AM CHICAGO (Ticker) -- Jason Chimera helped the Columbus Blue Jackets end their struggles with a clutch goal.

Chimera tallied in overtime and Fredrik Modin had a goal and an assist as the Blue Jackets erased a two-goal deficit en route to a 5-4 overtime victory over the struggling Chicago Blackhawks, snapping a four-game winless streak.

With its last win coming at Anaheim on January 5, Columbus rallied from a 3-1 deficit in the second period to pick up the victory. The Blue Jackets pulled goaltender Fredrik Norrena in the second session, replacing him with Ty Conklin.

"I don't think (we needed a spark with the goalie change)," coach Ken Hitchcock said. "We just needed a breath there, we looked tired. Then we came back; some goalie changes don't work but this one did."

Even Conklin was surprised to be in the game.

"Yes, a little bit," Conklin said. "They were hemming us in, and when I went in our team got a little breather, then we started to play better."

In the extra session, Chimera took advantage of a 3-on-1 breakaway, flicking a wrist shot under the pads of Blackhawks netminder Nikolai Khabibulin just 2:30 into overtime to secure the victory.

"That's what overtime is, because of turnovers you get a lot of quick breaks that turn into 2-on-1 or 3-on-1s," Chimera said. "Somebody has a chance like that, then the same thing goes back the other way."

Trailing, 3-1, at the 9:00 mark of the second period, the Blue Jackets quickly tied the game. Defenseman Rostislav Klesla scored with six minutes remaining and Joe Motzko tallied his first career goal just over a minute later.

Modin gave Columbus the lead with six minutes left in the final session, but Bryan Smolinski answered with 1:33 remaining to send the game into overtime.

"I thought it might be the winner," Modin said. "Anders Eriksson made a great pass to me, and I shot it high and Khabibulin was screened. Then they scored and we had to win in the overtime."

Smolinski scored two goals for Chicago, which has lost seven straight games.

"I haven't played well the last two weeks and I am trying to get my game back," Smolinski said. "Fortunately, I am back playing with Martin Havlat and he is a special player. At least my goal got us to overtime and got us a point, that is something we can build off."