• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Four-goal third period fuels Blue Jackets

Dec 6, 2007 - 4:30 AM COLUMBUS, Ohio (Ticker) -- The Columbus Blue Jackets returned the favor to the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday.

After allowing three goals in the second period, the Blue Jackets scored four times in the third session to rally for a 5-4 victory over the Avalanche.

Dan Fritsche netted the game-winning goal with 4:05 remaining in the third to give Columbus a rare victory over Colorado.

"We were putting a lot of pressure on them," Fritsche said. "Kris Beech shot the puck, and then after the feed from (Jason) Chimera, it was just laying there for me, and I just picked it up on my backhand and put it at the net."

Rick Nash had two tallies while Joakim Lindstrom and Nikolai Zherdev also scored for the Blue Jackets, who improved to 3-22-2 all-time against the Avalanche. The victory was just Columbus' second in 13 games (2-10-1) against Colorado at Nationwide Arena.

"We haven't played too well against these guys, so it was nice to finally get one here," Nash said.

Columbus coach Ken Hitchcock credited Fritsche for his high-energy play throughout the game.

"He was the key guy," Hitchcock said. "His level went up so high, in my opinion, other people had to follow."

Fritsche's goal came 30 seconds after Scott Hannan tied the game at 4-4. The defenseman blasted a shot past screened netminder Fredrik Norrena for his first goal of the season.

"I knew there was traffic in front, so I just tried to hit it hard and get it on net," Hannan said.

That was the only tally surrendered by the Finnish Norrena, who made 10 saves in the third period. He replaced Pascal Leclaire, who stopped 22 shots over the first two sessions.

Hitchcock noted that he replaced Leclaire to generate a spark from his team, something he definitely received in the third period.

"We got reckless and things started to turn our way," Hitchcock said. "Nice to get a win. We needed to play for each other in the third period, and that's what we did. The win is a result, but what we did for each other is more important to me."

As one would expect, Colorado coach Joel Quenneville was not pleased with his team's effort in the final session.

"We were in our end a little bit more than we were all game and we didn't have the patience or the control that was necessary at the time," Quenneville said. "It was nice to see us score right after to make it 4-4, but we can't give up that fifth one."

The Avalanche scored three second-period goals - including two in a 57-second span - to take a 3-1 lead.

With the game tied at 1-1 with 2:49 remaining in the second, Paul Stastny poked a loose puck just over the goal line for his 11th tally of the season.

"We knew the puck was over," Stastny said. "There was a lot of traffic, so I just tried to get a stick on the puck, and it went under their goalie and in."

Defenseman Jeff Finger increased the Avalanche's advantage to 3-1 just 57 seconds later. With Ryan Smith providing a screen in front, Finger wristed the puck from the right faceoff circle past Leclaire to give Colorado a two-goal bulge.

"In the third, we didn't play like we knew we should," Smyth said. "When you are up, 3-1, after two periods, you should be able to close it out."

Nearly 2 1/2 minutes into the second period, Wojtek Wolski tied the game at 1-1 with a power-play goal.

Stastny's shot from the left circle was blocked by defenseman Jan Hejda, but the puck deflected to Wolski inside the right circle. The native of Poland then wristed it past Leclaire for his ninth goal of the campaign.

Nash opened the scoring 6:43 into the contest.

After Beech kept the puck in the offensive zone, he tipped it to Nash, who gained control, spun around and backhanded a shot past Budaj for his 17th goal.

Beech had a career-high three assists for Columbus.