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Clutterbuck lifts Wild over Jackets

Nov 7, 2010 - 1:37 AM Columbus, OH (Sports Network) - Cal Clutterbuck scored the game-winning goal midway through the third period, as the Minnesota Wild snuck past the Columbus Blue Jackets, 3-2, at Nationwide Arena.

Brent Burns lit the lamp twice for the Wild, who have won three in a row. Jose Theodore turned aside 35-of-37 shots.

Kyle Wilson and Rick Nash scored for the Blue Jackets, who had won two straight and five of six.

Mathieu Garon entered the game with a scoreless streak of 133:54, but that came to a halt in the first period on Burns' first goal. He stopped 21-of-24 shots in all to suffer his first loss of the season.

"I thought our effort was very good. I didn't have a problem with our effort, but our execution was off," Columbus head coach Scott Arniel said. "First 10 minutes of the first period our passing was ugly. Those that did get passes, they were bouncing off our sticks. We certainly created enough changes and they hung around with their power play. It's all about finding that (third) goal before they get it."

Clutterbuck's goal with 9:29 left in the third gave Minnesota a 3-2 edge. Eric Nystrom's shot hit off the pads of Garon and set up a rebound in front. Clutterbuck, who had just taken out two Columbus players behind the net, jammed home the rebound.

Theodore made 10 saves in the third period to preserve the victory.

"This was a great win for our team. We played a bookend game," Minnesota head coach Todd Richards said. "I like the way the guys really handled the third period. I thought we got back to putting pucks in the zone and winning some battles and creating some opportunities. It's a big win for our team and the guys deserve credit for this one."

The Wild drew first blood at the 8:49 mark of the first period. Matt Cullen controlled the puck at the point with Minnesota on a power play. He slid a pass to the front of the net for Burns, who made a nice move before backhanding a shot past Garon.

Nash tied things up with 5:42 left. Derick Brassard slid a pass from the right circle to Nash, who chipped the disc into the back of the net from in front.

The Blue Jackets took the lead at the 5:45 mark of the second when Wilson's wrister from the slot got past Theodore.

Burns scored another power-play goal at the 14:20 mark to make it a 2-2 contest. His one-timer from the point beat traffic in front and got past a screened Garon.

Game Notes

The Wild own just four wins in their last 16 trips to Columbus...Minnesota kicked off a four-game road trip that doesn't continue until Thursday in Atlanta...Brassard has a seven-game point streak...The Blue Jackets went 0- for-4 on the power play, while the Wild went 2-for-4 with the man advantage.