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Erat's shootout goal thwarts Blue Jackets' comeback

Nov 11, 2007 - 5:40 AM NASHVILLE, Tennessee (Ticker) -- The Columbus Blue Jackets gave the Nashville Predators quite a scare. But Martin Erat showed no fear.

Erat scored the lone goal of the shootout and Chris Mason made 36 saves as the Predators withstood a late comeback to post a 4-3 victory over the Blue Jackets on Saturday.

Radek Bonk, defenseman Marek Zidlicky and Jordin Tootoo tallied in regulation for Nashville, which has won nine straight meetings with Columbus.

"We've hated Columbus since pretty much they have come into the league," Tootoo said. "There has been a long rivalry. Mentally, they know we are a tough team to play against, and hopefully we can keep giving it to them."

"Chris Mason was outstanding, which was fantastic," Predators coach Barry Trotz said. "I thought we got good work out of Jordin Tootoo. He was outstanding. We also got two power-play goals against the No. 1 penalty-killing unit in the NHL."

After the Blue Jackets rallied from a 3-1 deficit late in the third, the teams played a scoreless overtime session before needing a shootout to solve things. Columbus' Jiri Novotny and Nashville's Alexander Radulov had backhand attempts stopped in the first round, and Mason denied Gilbert Brule on the Blue Jackets' second chance.

Up next for the Predators was Erat, who deked to his backhand before lifting the puck over goaltender Fredrik Norrena, giving Nashville the edge.

"You have to see what is open," Erat said. "I am not thinking about my move before I get going. It is about how the goalie is moving and how I am going to react and make my move."

"I want to stop every shot," said Norrena, who finished with 24 saves. "I don't know, maybe he even hit my stick a little bit. It just went top shelf. He made a good shot, and that was it."

Columbus put its fate in the hands of captain Adam Foote, a defenseman not known for his scoring prowess. The veteran nearly made coach Ken Hitchcock look like a genius, but his shot rang off the left goalpost and hit Mason in the back of his right leg before the netminder stopped it just short of the goal line with his stick, clinching the victory.

"Footer had the shot that looked least likely to score, but he had the best shot," Hitchcock said. "We are a little snakebitten there."

"I felt it bounce off of me, and I just put my stick down to keep it from going into the net," Mason said. "I would have almost staked my life that they would have put (Rick) Nash out there to take that third shot. They must do the shootouts in practice, and they must have a reason why they did it."

Bonk opened the scoring at 9:05 of the first period.

With the Predators on a power play, defenseman Dan Hamhuis' slap shot from above the slot was stopped by goaltender Fredrik Norrena. But the rebound came to Bonk, who backhanded it past Norrena from the low slot for his sixth goal of the season.

The Blue Jackets evened it less than five minutes later on a tally by Curtis Glencross.

Dan Fritsche outraced Nashville defenseman Ville Koistinen to the puck along the left wing boards and chipped it behind the net, where he finally gained possession. Fritsche sent a pass to a streaking Glencross, who beat Mason from the slot with 6:23 to go in the first and forged a 1-1 tie.

Zidlicky restored the lead for the Predators midway through the second, unleashing a slap shot from the top of the left faceoff circle that beat Norrena low to the stick side at 10:07.

The goal was the first of the campaign for Zidlicky, who last scored on March 3 - a 29-game span.

Tootoo doubled the lead just 35 seconds into the third session.

Scott Nichol's stuff attempt at the left goalpost wound up in the slot, where Martin Gelinas got off a shot that was stopped. But the rebound went back in the slot for Tootoo, who fired it past Norrena for his fourth of the season, tying his career high.

"For a guy that doesn't play that much, it's great to help out offensively," Tootoo said. "I'm here to help the team win. I like to create penalties and generally be hard on them."

Columbus refused to quit, however, scoring twice in an 80-second span late in the period to forge a tie.

During a power play, Manny Malhotra blasted a slap shot that sailed over Mason's left shoulder with 5:33 remaining, drawing the Blue Jackets within 3-2. Shortly thereafter, Novotny shook off a defender behind the net and dished to Nikolai Zherdev, who tallied from the doorstep at 15:47 to knot the contest.

"Tonight was a building block for us, with a big come-from-behind in the third period," Malhotra said. "We were able to get greasy goals. The power play came through and it was a good performance as far as coming back in the third."

"We deserved two points tonight," Hitchcock said. "We played very hard. To play the way we did after getting down 3-1 in the third period, it's a really good sign. We didn't get discouraged."

The teams meet again Monday in Columbus.

"We want to continue that style of play and limit those power-play opportunities they have," Malhotra said.

"We will have to play a much better game Monday," Trotz admitted.