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Zherdev enables Blue Jackets to clip Red Wings

Nov 25, 2007 - 4:10 AM By Dave Holstein PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

COLUMBUS, Ohio (Ticker) - The Columbus Blue Jackets squandered a two-goal lead quicker than ever, but they made up for it after regulation.

Nikolai Zherdev had a goal in regulation and in the third round of the shootout as Columbus posted a 3-2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday.

Rick Nash gave Columbus a 2-1 lead in the shootout, and after goaltender Pascal Leclaire stopped Henrik Zetterberg, Zherdev wristed a shot past Osgood to end the game.

"We had some good players make some good moves," Columbus coach Ken Hitchcock said.

Osgood agreed with Hitchcock's assessment.

"Nash just made a great move," Osgood said. "I wasn't expecting Zherdev to just shoot but that's the way the shootout is. It's fun for the fans, it's a mental game as well. You are expecting one thing and something totally different happens."

It was just Columbus' first win in three games against Detroit this season.

"For some reason, playing teams higher up in the standings brings out the best in us," Nash said. "It was definitely a playoff atmosphere tonight and it brought out the best in all of us."

After Manny Malhotra and Zherdev scored first-period goals to give the Blue Jackets a 2-0 lead, the Red Wings scored two goals five seconds apart to level the game.

Tomas Holmstrom scored on a power-play goal at 10:44 and - before that goal was announced - Pavel Datsyuk stole the puck from Zherdev at the blue line and blasted a shot from the top of the right faceoff circle which beat Leclaire to tie the game.

"The two goals were huge," Detroit coach Mike Babcock said. "When Holmstrom scored and then Pavel took the puck away from Zherdev and scored - I thought that we were right back in the game."

The quick strikes set a franchise record, which was originally established on November 5, 1936 against Toronto.

The goals were also the fastest two goals allowed by Columbus. The previous record was eight seconds apart set by Nashville on January 21, 2006.

"We were OK with it," Hitchcock said. "The disappointment for us was that when it was 2-0, we could have had it 4 or 5-0. But we stayed with it, we held together."

The Blue Jackets opened the scoring when Malhotra scored midway though the first period.

Jason Chimera collected a loose puck behind the net and attempted a wrap around. The rebound came to Malhotra, whose slap shot beat Osgood high to the glove side at 12:35.

The Blue Jackets doubled their lead with exactly two minutes remaining in the session when defenseman Ron Hainsey took the shot at the top of the right faceoff circle which Zherdev redirected past Osgood for his seventh goal of the year.

Leclaire finished with 23 saves for the Blue Jackets, who won their second game in a row after a three-game losing streak.

Osgood finished with 26 saves for the Red Wings, who dropped to 2-5-0 in their last seven games.

"It's not one thing you can pinpoint," Detroit defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom said. "The first 10 games or so, we got some breaks and we are not getting those now, so we just have to keep working hard and play out of it."