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Huselius powers Blue Jackets past Canucks

Dec 2, 2008 - 4:04 AM COLUMBUS, Ohio (Ticker) -- Kristian Huselius recorded a goal and an assist - including the game-winning tally with 4:44 remaining in the third period - as the Columbus Blue Jackets posted a 3-2 triumph over the Vancouver Canucks on Monday.

Fredrik Modin and Andrew Murray also scored, captain Rick Nash notched two assists and rookie Steve Mason made 30 saves for Columbus, which won its second consecutive game.

Kyle Wellwood and defenseman Kevin Bieksa scored on the power play and blue-liner Alexander Edler notched two assists for Vancouver, which dropped its third straight game in regulation.

Rookie Cory Schneider finished with 15 saves in relief of Curtis Sanford, who left the game with back spasms after stopping all 11 shots he faced in the first period.

"(Sanford) came to the bench at a whistle and said he might have done something to his back," Schneider said. "So coach kind of said to get ready just in case. And when he came in, he said he couldn't go, so I jumped in.

"It's never easy, you have to get a sweat going, you have to get into the game. It's part of the job, you have to be ready at all times no matter what."

With the game tied at 2-2, Nash staved off two defenders in the left faceoff circle before wristing a cross-slot feed to Huselius, who tapped the puck past Schneider for his ninth goal of the season.

"It was just a great pass and a good effort, a good shift," Huselius said. "We actually won the battle on the wall and had a good breakout. Rick caught two guys on him and he made a great pass to me, and all I had to do was one-time it.

"It's always nice to score, I was a big goal for sure and it was a great thing for us."

The Blue Jackets survived a spirited rally by the Canucks - including a point-blank shot by Wellwood - but Mason stood tall while his team was shorthanded.

"I remember when the puck was in the corner, I took a quick glance to see how much time was left on the clock," Mason said. "It wasn't ticking down fast enough. But we closed it out and that was probably our biggest kill of the year so far."

"It was interesting," Columbus coach Ken Hitchcock said. "That save (Mason) made was unbelievable, terrific. It was a good save."

Bieksa gave the Canucks a 2-1 lead just 5:28 into the third period with his team's second power-play goal of the evening, but Murray leveled the contest just over 3 1/2 minutes later with his third goal of the season.

Wellwood opened the scoring 3:27 into the second period, but the Blue Jackets were able to bounce back and notch their first win of the season after allowing the game's first goal. Prior to the contest, Columbus was 0-6-3 after allowing the first goal.

"It's inexcusable for us to give up the lead twice like we did tonight," Vancouver's Ryan Kesler said. "We've got to nip this in the bud right now and move on."