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Blue Jackets top Stars in overtime

Apr 6, 2007 - 6:23 AM COLUMBUS, Ohio (Ticker) -- The Dallas Stars had to cool off sooner or later.

Rick Nash scored 64 seconds into overtime to give the Columbus Blue Jackets a 2-1 victory over the playoff-bound Stars.

Dallas (48-25-7) came into the game having gone 10-2-1 in its last 13 games. With that hot streak, the Stars have moved into sixth place in the Western Conference standings, one point ahead of the Minnesota Wild (47-26-8).

Late into the third period, it appeared that Stars rookie goaltender Mike Smith was going to make Stu Barnes' first-period goal hold up.

However, with just under seven minutes to play in the third, Columbus center Manny Malhotra tied the score on a one-timer off a crisp feed from Jason Chimera, who had dug the puck out of the left corner.

"(The goal) was a direct result of our whole game plan - to get pucks deep in the corners and keep it away from their goalie," Malhotra said. "Chimera did a great job of fighting off two defenders and holding on to the puck. Then he found me right in that sweet spot there, so it was a great play by him and I just wanted to get as much as I could on (the shot)."

In the extra session, Nash made his 26th tally of the season look easy as he corralled the puck along the boards near the right faceoff circle, skated into the slot and sent a wrister past Smith.

"Everything worked out well," Nash said. "(Geoff) Platt made a great play down low. The defensemen stayed out which gave me a lot more room in middle. It was wide open. I just got an extra step on the defensemen and I was able to lift it over the goalie's glove. I was looking there (high-glove), it felt good to put it away."

"The kid (Nash) is a talented player and you get a guy like that in the slot with the shot that he has, its pretty tough," Smith said.

Fredrik Norrena had 19 saves for the Blue Jackets, who ended a four-game losing streak and beat the Stars for the third time in four meetings this season.

"I got into a rhythm because I got some early shots there and had some good saves," Norrena said. "It's not hard to get in a rhythm that way, it's harder if you don't get anything (shots) in the beginning and you have to wait and wait."

Dallas coach Dave Tippett said the Stars will need to work harder if they hope to succeed in the playoffs.

"We have got to get emotionally engaged in the game. We think that we are just going to finish off the year and start the playoffs, that's not going to happen," he said. "We will find players that are willing to get emotionally engaged in the game because that is the only chance we have in the playoffs. There are a lot of things we need to correct and they are noticeable."

Mike Ribeiro had an assist for Dallas and has 11 points in his last six games. He said the return of captain Brenden Morrow, who missed more than two months with a wrist injury, has helped his game.

"Since Brenden came back (from a wrist injury), I think we have been playing good together," Ribeiro said. "He is complete player, he is a guy that can check and create some space on the corner. Since he is back we have been doing great. We have two games to get ready for the playoffs and I think we need to work a little bit harder than we did tonight."