• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Mason, Blue Jackets aim for third consecutive win

Jan 31, 2009 - 11:29 AM Dallas (22-18-7) at Columbus (24-20-5), 7:00 p.m. EST

COLUMBUS, Ohio (Ticker) -- Steve Mason's dominating rookie campaign has become old news. The Columbus Blue Jackets being in the thick of a playoff race is still settling in.

Mason and the Blue Jackets seek their third straight win when they host the Dallas Stars on Saturday.

The 20-year-old Mason made 18 saves en route to his league-leading seventh shutout of the season and fellow rookie Jakub Voracek scored the lone goal as the Blue Jackets continued their dominance of the Eastern Conference with a 1-0 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Friday.

A favorite to win the Calder Trophy, Mason turned aside eight shots in both the first and third periods while needing to make just two saves in the middle session to improve to 7-1-0 with five blankings against teams from the East.

That win guaranteed Columbus of a winning record in January, marking the first time in franchise history it has put together three straight winning months.

Mason leads the NHL with a 1.97 goals-against average, and has allowed two or fewer goals in 19 of his last 27 starts.

Columbus, which is the only current NHL team to have never qualified for the playoffs, is in a four-way deadlock with Edmonton, Phoenix and Anaheim with 51 points in the crowded Western Conference playoff picture.

The Stars have won three in a row and four of their last five, including Thursday's 4-2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings.

Goaltender Marty Turco has started 18 consecutive contests and has surrendered only three goals during Dallas' current winning stretch.