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Blue Jackets score two shorthanders to edge Rangers

Feb 25, 2007 - 5:30 AM NEW YORK (Ticker) -- Jason Chimera and Rick Nash picked up their teammates following trips to the penalty box.

Chimera and Nash netted shorthanded goals in the second period and defenseman Anders Eriksson added his first goal of the season to lead the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 3-2 triumph over the New York Rangers.

Columbus rallied from a two-goal deficit to snap a three-game losing streak and post just its third victory in 11 contests while raising its all-time record to 5-2-1 against the Rangers.

"We're a team that's growing," Blue Jackets coach Ken Hitchcock said. "We've had a lot of games where we competed at a high level and not won. This is one where we did. You're down 2-0. It shows a lot of character. This is now three of the last four where we've competed at a very high level."

"We knew they needed the points and we kind of want to play the spoiler," Nash said. "They're desperate and we knew they were going to come out flying. ... It just shows a lot about our team that we could stick around and be in one of the toughest buildings in the league and steal a few points."

After blue-liner Rostislav Klesla was whistled for hooking midway through the second period, Chimera tied the game at 2-2 with a wrist shot from the left faceoff circle that sneaked just under the crossbar.

"I tried to pass to Manny (Malhotra) and it hit (Martin) Straka's stick or it bounced and came to me, and I just kind of tipped it in," Chimera said. "I tried to pass it to Manny earlier for a 2-on-1 and it kind of went up, and I got the puck back and fortunately, it went in the net."

"Chimera's goal is the one that really gave everyone a lift," Hitchcock said. "You're down 2-1. You're starting to get scoring chances and you're battling. And then, that goal was terrific."

Undeterred by Eriksson's hooking infraction later in the session, Nash gave the Blue Jackets a 3-2 lead when he found the top right corner past goaltender Henrik Lundqvist.

"This new NHL, shorthanded goals are way up and people are starting to go and there's a lot more room," Nash said. "So you definitely got to take your chances when they're there."

"Goals are goals and it doesn't matter what they look like or how they occurred or under what circumstances," Rangers coach Tom Renney said. "But certainly when you're on the power play and you get a couple of shorthanded goals (against), there's a number of things to look at."

After New York took a 2-0 lead, Eriksson put Columbus on the scoreboard with 84 seconds remaining in the first period, when his shot from the right point glanced off a defenseman and bounced inside the left goalpost.

"Good things happen when you shoot," Eriksson said. "I missed enough open nets this year, so I guess I was meant to get an ugly one. It still counts. It was good to get the donut away."

Former Hart Trophy winner Sergei Fedorov picked up an assist for his 1,099th career point and Fredrik Norrena made 40 saves for Columbus.

Jaromir Jagr scored his first power-play goal in 27 games, Blair Betts added his seventh tally and Lundqvist stopped 22 shots for the Rangers, who have lost three straight games and four of five.

"We were creating chances," Lundqvist said. "We have been working goals and we will get our goals. We tried to win the game, but when you are minus-1 on the power play, you can't have that. I think we played good. We created chances. It has been a tough week. We just have to play better."

"I think the guys sort of squeezed their sticks sitting on the bench, hoping instead of being on the bench knowing they've got to get back out there, and they've got to get reacquainted with how we started the game," Renney said. "It was a dynamic that suggested to me they were kind of hoping that we would get it going again instead of doing that."