Final
Blue Jackets visit Flames hoping to find the win column
Mar 4, 2011 - 3:50 PM (Sports Network) - The Columbus Blue Jackets will try to post their first win on a five-game road trip when they visit the Calgary Flames for tonight's battle at the Saddledome.The Blue Jackets also enter tonight trailing Calgary by six points for a playoff spot. The Flames have 75 points and are tied with Nashville for the final two postseason berths in the Western Conference.
Columbus is 0-2-1 on a five-game swing that is set to end Monday in St. Louis. Prior to this road skid, the Blue Jackets, who are 15-12-5 as the guest this season, had won six straight away from Ohio.
The Blue Jackets suffered their most recent loss in regulation, as they dropped Thursday's 4-2 decision in Edmonton. Taylor Hall registered a goal and an assist to lead the Oilers to the victory at Rexall Place.
Newcomer Scottie Upshall, who was acquired by the Blue Jackets from Phoenix at the trade deadline on Monday, scored his second goal in as many games for his new team. Matt Calvert also tallied for Columbus.
Goaltender Steve Mason started for Columbus but was pulled inside the opening minute of the second period after he allowed three goals on 14 shots. Mathieu Garon stopped all 23 shots he faced in relief.
"It was an ugly, rough 60 minutes. We didn't come to compete," Blue Jackets head coach Scott Arniel said. "We did a lot of ugly things tonight."
Meanwhile, the Flames had a two-game win streak halted Wednesday evening in Chicago. Jonathan Toews scored twice to help the Blackhawks record the 6-4 decision at United Center.
Jarome Iginla finished the game with a goal and two assists while Rene Bourque scored twice for the Flames, who were coming off a home-and-home sweep of the St. Louis Blues.
Miikka Kiprusoff was pulled after the second period as he gave up four goals on 19 shots. Henrik Karlsson stopped 9-of-10 shots in the third.
"We were not good defensively. We gave up over 20 scoring chances, and that's not good enough," Flames head coach Brent Sutter said.
Calgary is back home for two games -- tonight's test and Sunday's meeting with Nashville -- and the Flames have a solid 19-10-4 record as the host this season.
The Flames have taken two of their three meetings with Columbus this year and they'll try to wrap the season series with another victory tonight. Calgary has taken four of six overall in the series and the Blue Jackets have dropped five of their last six at the Saddledome.
- COLUMBUS: 3
CALGARY: 4
Final
Mar 4 11:41 PM - COLUMBUS: 2
CALGARY: 4
End of 2nd
Mar 4 10:41 PM - Calgary Power-Play Goal - Curtis Glencross (21), from Anton Babchuk and Alex Tanguay at 10:09.
Blue Jackets 2, Flames 4 2nd - 9:51Mar 4 10:22 PM - Calgary Power-Play Goal - Rene Bourque (22), at 8:48.
Blue Jackets 2, Flames 3 2nd - 11:12Mar 4 10:19 PM - Columbus Goal - Antoine Vermette (16), from Kris Russell and Jakub Voracek at 1:53.
Blue Jackets 2, Flames 2 2nd - 18:07Mar 4 10:06 PM - COLUMBUS: 1
CALGARY: 2
End of 1st
Mar 4 9:45 PM - Calgary Goal - Olli Jokinen (14), from Curtis Glencross at 8:13.
Blue Jackets 1, Flames 1 1st - 11:47Mar 4 9:22 PM - COLUMBUS: 0
CALGARY: 0
1st Period - 20:00
Mar 4 9:08 PM
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