Detroit, MI (Sports Network) - Matt Calvert and Ryan Johansen each scored in
the shootout, enabling the surging Columbus Blue Jackets to continue their
season success against the Detroit Red Wings with a 3-2 decision at Joe Louis
Arena.
Derick Brassard and R.J. Umberger had the regulation goals to help Columbus
complete a home-and-home weekend sweep of the Red Wings and earn their fifth
consecutive victory -- the club's longest winning streak since a five-game run
from Nov. 17-24, 2010.
"Guys are working really hard," Blue Jackets head coach Todd Richards said
afterward. "They've earned all the points that we've gotten over the past six,
seven games or whatever it is."
Sergei Bobrovsky, fresh off a 30-save performance in Saturday's 3-0 triumph
over the Wings in Columbus, stopped 21 shots through overtime before turning
back two of Detroit's three skaters in the deciding phase.
Jakub Kindl and Johan Franzen both potted goals in the loss, the Red Wings'
fourth in five meetings with the Blue Jackets this season (1-3-1). Jimmy
Howard recorded 19 saves for Detroit, but failed to come up with one in the
shootout.
"They're tough," Howard said of the Blue Jackets. "They play a tough style.
They dump the puck in and then they all fall back in their own zone. All five
of them are just standing there in front of the net, and it's tough to get
pucks through."
Bobrovsky came up with a big save on Brendan Smith in the final minute of OT
to send the contest to the shootout stage, and Johansen beat Howard with a
nifty right-to-left move to even things up in the final portion after the Red
Wings' Pavel Datsyuk began the opening round with a shot that got through
Bobrovsky's pads.
Detroit's Damien Brunner was then denied by Bobrovsky, with Calvert putting
the Jackets ahead by deking Howard to the left and placing the puck through an
open right side.
Henrik Zetterberg had a chance to extend the game for the Red Wings, but
Bobrovsky got a piece of the attempt and it caromed wide of the net to give
Columbus the victory.
An uneventful first period failed to produce any scoring, but the teams
combined for three goals over a 75-second span in the second.
Brassard began the scoring blitz by sending a screamer from the right circle
over Howard's glove 3:10 into the frame. Columbus' lead lasted all of 30
seconds, however, after Kindl rifled home a slap shot off a Datsyuk feed to
knot the score at 1-1.
The Blue Jackets regained the upper hand just 45 seconds afterward. Zetterberg
overplayed the puck in his own end, with Umberger quickly firing the loose
disc into the upper right corner of the net for his fifth goal of the season.
Detroit drew even once again just 25 seconds into the third period, taking
advantage of a full 5-on-3 power play created by a slashing call on Johansen
and Umberger being sent off for delay of game after covering the puck on the
resulting faceoff.
The Red Wings worked the puck in front to Franzen, who ripped off a one-timer
by Bobrovsky to produce a 2-2 deadlock.
Game Notes
Datsyuk's successful shootout try was the 32nd of his career, breaking a tie
he held with Minnesota's Zach Parise for the most in NHL history ... Columbus
defenseman Fedor Tyutin tied a franchise record for career points by a
blueliner (134) with an assist on Brassard's goal, sharing the spot with
Rostislav Klesla ... Franzen's tally was Detroit's first in 25 power-play
chances in its five season meetings with Columbus. The goal also ended a
franchise-record string of 24 consecutive penalty kills by the Blue Jackets
over a 10-game span ... Bobrovsky made his 100th career NHL appearance.
The Sports Network