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Nichol, Ortmeyer score in win over Predators

Sep 17, 2007 - 12:26 AM By Dave Holstein PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

COLUMBUS, Ohio (Ticker) -- Scott Nichol and Jed Ortmeyer scored while killing a five-minute power play, leading the Nashville Predators past the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-1 in a preseason game on Sunday night.

At 18:23 in the first period, Columbus left winger David Vyborny suffered a knee injury when he was checked into the boards by Nashville left winger Martin Erat. He was helped off the ice while Erat received a five-minute major for interference and a 10-minute game misconduct on the play.

Vyborny did not return to the game.

The ensuing five-minute power play for Columbus after the Erat penalty proved unkind as Nashville scored two shorthanded goals in a span of 1:01. Nichol opened the scoring with a short-handed goal at 1:02 of the first, followed by a short-handed goal by Jed Ortmeyer 61 seconds later for a 2-0 lead.

Columbus responded with their own short-handed goal when center Dan Fritsche scored for Columbus at 5:43 to trim the advantage to 2-1. Nashville added a power-play goal later in the period when defenseman Nille Koistinen found the back of the net at the 13:59 mark to complete the scoring.

The Blue Jackets began the preseason with an experiment for their first line. Nikolai Zherdev, who played right wing last year, will be given the opportunity to center a line with left winger Rick Nash and right winger David Vyborny.

Columbus did not dress Adam Foote, Sergei Fedorov, Fredrik Modin or Michael Peca. The Predators followed suit, resting Radek Bonk, Jason Arnott, Steve Sullivan and Chris Mason.

The Blue Jackets' next game is at home on Tuesday against Chicago while Nashville will entertain Atlanta at home on Thursday.