• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Jackets visit Blackhawks in first game since Arniel firing

Jan 10, 2012 - 4:03 PM (Sports Network) - The Columbus Blue Jackets already faced the task of trying to end a four-game slide to the Chicago Blackhawks without their two key offseason additions. But following yet another disappointing loss over the weekend, the club heads to the Windy City fresh off a coaching change as well.

One day after firing Scott Arniel, the Blue Jackets try to avoid a 10th loss in 12 games this evening against the Blackhawks, who will be without high- scoring winger Patrick Sharp.

Columbus was aiming for the second postseason trip in franchise history after adding center Jeff Carter and defenseman James Wisniewski this offseason, but currently sit last in the NHL with just 27 points. To make matters worse, Carter missed 10 games earlier this year with a fractured right foot before suffering a separated shoulder in Sunday's 7-4 loss at Anaheim.

Wisniewski, who sat out the first eight games of the regular season due to suspension, missed his fourth game in a row due to a broken left ankle that is slated to sideline him for six weeks.

Rick Nash scored twice in Sunday's defeat, giving him 10 goals in his past 22 games after netting just four over the first 19 contests, but Steve Mason allowed four goals in 16 shots in the opening period. Curtis Sanford made only eight saves in relief.

"The first period was ugly. We turned over pucks and we were sloppy," said Columbus defenseman Grant Clitsome.

Sunday's loss turned out to be the last for Arniel, who was fired on Monday and replaced with assistant Todd Richards. Arniel, who became the seventh NHL coach to be fired this season, went 34-35-13 in his first season as Columbus' head coach in 2010-11.

"It's hard to say," Blue Jackets general manager Scott Howson said of why the club struggled under Arniel. "He did everything he could. He's a good coach, a good person. He worked very hard at it. The team was prepared and it just didn't work for him with this group."

Richards joined the Jackets as an assistant in June after spending the past two seasons as head coach of the Minnesota Wild. He had a record of 77-71-16 during his brief tenure in St. Paul, but the club failed to make the playoffs either season.

"He'll bring a fresh approach and new approach and a new voice and we'll try to move it in the right direction," Howson said of Richards.

Richards' Blue Jackets head coaching debut will come in the finale of a four- game road trip. Columbus has lost five of its past seven as the guest and is 5-14-2 on the road this season.

One thing that could work in Richards' favor is the loss of Sharp, who suffered an upper-body injury in Sunday's 3-2 overtime loss to the Red Wings. Sharp scored his 20th goal of the season before exiting and head coach Joel Quenneville said on Monday that his forward will miss 3-to-4 weeks.

Dave Bolland also lit the lamp on Sunday, but Jimmy Hayes came up empty on a penalty shot in the third period after Detroit covered the puck in the crease and Corey Crawford made 24 saves, including several right before the Red Wings notched the game-winner in OT.

Chicago dropped its season-high fourth game in a row and is tied with Detroit and St. Louis for first in the Central Division with 53 points each.

"I don't think its something we need to get overly down on ourselves about. We've got to just stay positive," Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith said of Chicago's losing streak.

The Blackhawks have now dropped the first two of a four-game homestand and four of their past five as the host.

Chicago has taken the first three of six meetings with Columbus this year by a 15-6 margin. Tonight will mark the final encounter between the clubs in Ohio, where the 'Hawks have won three of their last four trips.