Columbus Blue Jackets defeat Minnesota Wild
The Columbus Blue Jackets stormed into Minnesota and surprised the Wild with a 4-2 pre-season win. Both sides chose to dress their veterans as they prepare for the start of the regular season. The Blue Jackets were able to get a strong offensive performance
from some of their depth players, while holding off the top offensive unit for the Wild.
Columbus went with an extremely veteran line-up, which featured the majority of their roster thought to be starting the season. The only starter that was missing from the line-up was youngster Nikita Filatov. Nevertheless, the Jackets are expected to start
the year with the left-winger on the second line. The club gave the full 60 minutes in net to Steve Mason.
Meanwhile, the Wild followed suit with a veteran line-up as well. Everyday starters such as Brent Burns, Mikko Koivu and Martin Havlat were all in the line-up. The Wild gave the start in net to Niklas Backstrom.
The Jackets struck first while on the power play with a goal from defenseman Fedor Tyutin. Tyutin gathered a pass from winger Kristian Huselius and put a well placed wrist shot past Backstrom.
Columbus wasted no time getting back on the board, as Ethan Moreau put in some good work behind the net, forcing a turnover to Samuel Pahlsson. Pahlsson put the puck in front to Moreau, who snapped it past Backstrom to give his side a 2-0 lead.
Minnesota finally got on the board one minute into the second period, when Antti Miettinen snapped the puck past Mason, after receiving a pass from Burns.
However, the checking line of Moreau, Pahlsson and David Savard kept the pressure on and registered their second goal of the game. Once again the three forwards worked the puck well against the boards and Pahlsson was able to emerge with it, putting a wrist
shot past the net-minder to make it 3-1 Jackets.
Less than a minute later, youngster Jakub Voracek made a nifty move at the blue line to gain the zone and flicked a backhander up and over the left shoulder of Backstrom to put the game out of reach for the Jackets.
Minnesota’s Matt Cullen would score halfway through the second to make it 4-2. However, even though the Wild out-shot the Blue Jackets 11-5 in the third period, they were unable to get on the board and Columbus took home a hard fought victory.
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