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Blue Jackets seek consecutive wins vs. Flames

Nov 21, 2011 - 3:50 PM (Sports Network) - The Blue Jackets elevated expectations when they picked up both forward Jeff Carter and defenseman James Wisniewski this offseason.

Things haven't worked out as planned so far, but both skaters are coming off their first goals of the year and will try to help Columbus win back-to-back games for the first time this season tonight versus the Calgary Flames.

The Blue Jackets opened with an 0-7-1 mark and won just twice in their first 15 games. Carter had only three assists over the club's first five games before missing 10 contests due to injury, while Wisniewski had to sit out Columbus' first eight games because of a suspension handed down during the preseason.

The defenseman tallied five assists in his first 10 games with Columbus before scoring the game-winner on Saturday in a 4-3 overtime win at Nashville. It was the Blue Jackets' first victory at Bridgestone Arena in 18 trips, snapping an 0-12-5 drought.

Wisniewski also had an assist, while Carter, R.J. Umberger and Vinny Prospal added goals. Carter snapped a six-game skid without a point.

"This is the kind of game that we came together as a family and realized not to get down on ourselves, keep playing with resiliency and being tenacious throughout the whole 63 minutes or whatever we played," said Wisniewski.

Columbus improved to 2-1-1 in its last four games and won for the first time in nine road games (1-7-1) thanks in part to 27 saves from Curtis Sanford, who earned his first NHL win since Dec. 28, 2008 while with Vancouver.

The Blue Jackets will now look to win consecutive outings for the first time since a three-game streak from Feb. 18-25 of last season.

"We played a good game," Blue Jackets head coach Scott Arniel said. "We sat back a bit in the third period, but did a lot of good things. We frustrated the Predators all around the rink and got rewarded with some goals."

Calgary opens up a four-game road trip this evening after splitting a pair of contests at home. Following a defeat to the Senators, the Flames responded with a 5-2 victory over the Blackhawks on Friday.

Curtis Glencross had two goals and an assist and his three goals in three games have upped his team-leading total to seven.

Rene Bourque and Paul Byron scored 17 seconds apart in the second period to open the game up, Lee Stempniak also scored and Olli Jokinen logged two assists.

Miikka Kiprusoff stopped 30-of-32 shots in the win.

"I thought we were very solid tonight. Our determination, our focus, everything you need to do to be successful, we had it tonight," Flames head coach Brent Sutter said.

Alex Tanguay logged an assist in Friday's win, giving him 699 points in his career.

The home team has won 15 of the past 19 games in this series, with the Flames having won five of the last seven overall. The Blue Jackets are 14-4-2 at home versus the Flames.