Ducks 1 - 3 Blue Jackets
Final
  for this game

Blue Jackets, Ducks meet in Columbus

Oct 30, 2011 - 2:21 PM (Sports Network) - The Columbus Blue Jackets are still searching for a way to put teams away late, something the Anaheim Ducks never got a chance to do in their most recent outing.

With both clubs set to play for a second straight day, the Blue Jackets try again for just their second win of the season as they host the Ducks.

Columbus snapped its club-worst 0-7-1 opening to the season with a win over visiting Detroit on Tuesday, but has since lost back-to-back road games in Buffalo and Chicago.

Vinny Prospal scored a tying goal in the first period and Derek MacKenzie again evened the game in the second, but the Blackhawks tallied three goals in the final stanza to hand the Blue Jackets a 5-2 defeat.

Columbus fell to 0-6-0 on the road this season and 0-3-1 when tied after two periods.

"We battled hard and got right back into it in the second period," said Blue Jackets coach Scott Arniel. "Went into the third with a tie and you have to find a way to squeak out a win."

Allen York made the first start of his career in net and stopped 33 shots. He saw significant more time in net than his NHL debut on Tuesday versus the Red Wings as he appeared in about three minutes of action while Steve Mason tended to a minor injury before returning.

"I wanted to come out and compete hard," said York of his first start. "For the most part I think I did that, but it wasn't good enough."

Prospal continued his hot start with his new club. He leads Columbus with five goals and 10 points, finding the statsheet in eight of the team's first 11 games.

Columbus will play two straight and five of its next six at home, while Anaheim continues a seven-game road trip tonight, tied for the third longest in club history.

The Ducks are 1-1-1 so far on the trek after dropping last night's 3-0 game in Nashville. The Predators scored just 14 seconds into the game and Pekka Rinne made 20 saves to hand Anaheim its first shutout loss of the season.

Jonas Hiller stopped 26-of-29 shots for the Ducks, who've dropped four of their past five and failed to gain some revenge on the Preds for knocking them out of the first round of the playoffs last season.

Corey Perry had a six-game point streak end in the loss as Anaheim was held to two goals or fewer for the sixth time in 10 games this year.

Hiller has started nine of the Ducks' first 10 games, going 4-4-1 with a 2.55 goals-against average. Dan Ellis got his lone start of the season on Oct. 17 and beat the Sharks, stopping 41 of the 43 shots faced.

Tonight marks the completion of Anaheim's third set of back-to-back games already this season. The Ducks have won the back end of those sets in the previous two instances.

These two clubs split four meetings last year, with the Ducks winning the final two encounters. They have won five of their last seven in Columbus.






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