Columbus Blue Jackets get first win, beat Detroit Red Wings 4-1 -NHL Match Update
It might have taken Columbus much longer than other teams to get their first win of the 2011-2012 National Hockey League (NHL) regular season, but the Blue Jackets finally did it as they destroyed the Detroit Red Wings, 4-1, on Tuesday night, October 25,
at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, United States.
This was their ninth match of the season so far and after having lost eight straight against various teams including a previous contest against Detroit, Columbus finally recorded their first two points of victory.
For Columbus coach, Scott Arniel, it is a big relief to finally know that they have the ability to win.
"I don't think anyone in that dressing room has been through anything like the three weeks of h**l we've been through", Arniel said. "A lot of baggage came with it. I thought the Dallas game (a 3-2 loss last Tuesday) we played well and didn't get rewarded.
In Ottawa we played well for 59 minutes … Tonight everyone in the lineup stepped up and played a part”.
R.J. Umberger opened the scoring and gave out the impression that Columbus was determined to win by scoring 21 seconds into the first period. Darren Helm scored the equaliser in the next four minutes but it was Ryan Johansen who made the tie-breaker and
put the home team ahead by one during their first added man advantage of the match nearly midway through.
John Moore added their third during the second period while Derek MacKenzie ensured the match with his first of the season, giving Umberger his second point of the match with an assist at the 19:06 mark while the team was missing Derek Dorsett due to a minor
penalty.
"It felt pretty good", Columbus defenseman, James Wisniewski, said after his debut matchup in the NHL. "I was happy with the way I moved the puck out of my own zone".
Columbus Blue Jackets play the next two on the road, starting off with the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday, while Detroit Red Wings face the San Jose Sharks on Friday before facing the Minnesota Wild on Saturday to finish of the month.
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