Columbus Blue Jackets fall back down against Minnesota Wild 4-2 -NHL Match Update
Just when it looked like Columbus was getting back on its feet coming out of a, 2-1, win against the Winnipeg Jets, the Blue Jackets fell right back down on the ground as the Minnesota Wild trampled them, 4-2, Tuesday night, November 15, 2011, at the Nationwide
Arena in Columbus, Ohio, United States.
Even though Minnesota Wild goalie, Niklas Backstrom, was widely outshot as compared to his counterpart, Steve Mason, in the Columbus net, 45-23, but still managed to block 43 of those Blue Jackets’ shots to keep them out.
"I was real impressed with the character of the guys", Minnesota head coach, Mike Yeo, said. "It would have been really easy when you're that tired, you don't have everything in the tank you had at the start of the trip, to just say, 'OK, it wasn't our night.
It wasn't a terrible trip. We got a couple of wins here, let's just move on to our home stand,' but the guys didn't do that".
Columbus got ahead early as Antoine Vermette and Mark Letestu scored two straight nearly four minutes apart.
A number of players from both sides went out early in the opening period due to game misconduct with 10 minute major penalties each, but it was Samuel Pahlsson going out at the 5:12 mark which gave Minnesota an advantage, but Vermette still managed to score
shorthanded.
Letestu added the second on their next power play advantage to extend the lead midway through.
Matt Cullen added Minnesota’s first during a power play of their own midway through the second while Nick Johnson added another to level the match 20 seconds later, letting the crowd know that their a force to be reckoned with.
Cal Clutterbuck made the game-winner in the third period while Devin Setoguchi made a breakaway goal with seven seconds remaining to play to insure the match in their favour.
"I didn't really see it go in, to be honest", Clutterbuck said of his fourth. "I heard it. I saw the light".
Minnesota Wild will finally be returning home after five straight on road to host the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday while Columbus will travel to Boston on Thursday to face the hot Bruins.
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