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Blue Jackets face Blues for fifth time this season

Feb 14, 2007 - 3:47 PM St Louis (22-26-9) at Columbus (22-29-5) 7:00 pm EST

COLUMBUS, Ohio (Ticker) -- The St. Louis Blues and Columbus Blue Jackets each have made progress after changing coaches during the season.

The teams meet for the fifth time this season on Wednesday.

After replacing Gerrard Gallant on November 22, coach Ken Hitchcock has guided Columbus to a 10-5-1 home mark. However, the Blue Jackets lost two of the first three contests of a six-game homestand and are last in the Western Conference in goals (139).

Columbus is coming off Sunday's 5-4 defeat to the Chicago Blackhawks. David Vyborny had a goal and an assist and Bryan Berard and Rick Nash each set up two tallies for the Blue Jackets, who were outshot, 15-3, in the opening period.

Coach Andy Murray is 15-9-5 with the Blues since he took over for Mike Kitchen on December 11. However, St. Louis has lost six of its last eight contests.

Bill Guerin has been one of the most consistent bright spots for the Blues this season. The four-time All-Star scored his 350th goal, registered his 700th point and played his 1,000th game in recent weeks.

Guerin recorded a hat trick to give him 25 goals this season for the Blues in Tuesday's 6-5 defeat to the San Jose Sharks.