Columbus Blue Jackets once again stun Phoenix Coyotes, 3-2 – NHL Recap
An impressive performance from the surging Columbus Blue Jackets coupled with some good fortune led them to a victory, 3-2, against the regressing Phoenix Coyotes in a National Hockey League (NHL) game on Tuesday, March 6, 2012, at Nationwide Arena, Columbus,
Ohio.
The defeat, which was fourth in a row for Coyotes, has made NHL Western Conference even more competitive with a couple of teams, Los Angeles Kings and Colorado Avalanche, ranked below the playoff spot trailing Coyotes only by one point.
Coyotes are ranked at seventh spot with 75 points after 67 games. San Jose Sharks are ranked eighth with 74 points after 65 games while Kings and Avalanche are ranked at ninth and 10th spot respectively with 74 points each.
Blue Jackets, on the other hand, have been performing well of late and have not lost any game this month.
Although they are ranked at the bottom of the Western Conference with 49 points after 66 games, they gave pretty tough competition to the Coyotes.
Blue Jackets’ interim coach, Todd Richards, said after the game:
"I had talked to you leading up to the trade deadline, and was asked, 'Is the room tense?' My response was, 'Everything's good.' But seeing the way we're playing now, I think that had a big effect on us. Guys seem more relaxed, seem to be enjoying the game,
enjoying being around each other. So the morale is good."
Blue Jackets were in control of the game right from the start. Within the first minute, R.J. Umberger caught a high pass and controlled the puck nicely. As he moved forward, he passed the defenders and snapped the puck into the net.
At 3:54 in the same period, Blue Jackets doubled their lead with a score from Jack Johnson, who got his ninth goal of the season.
Coyotes finally got their first scoring move at 11:57, when Antoine Vermette reduced the deficit to only one goal. Ray Whitney and Shane Doan provided him the assist.
Derek MacKenzie once again increased Blue Jackets’ lead to two goals when he scored early in the second period. At 3:02, he collected the puck from Derek Dorsett and scored the goal.
However, Coyotes were not impressed and objected the goal saying that Dorsett had interfered goaltender, Jason LaBarbera, but the decision stayed in favour of Columbus.
Coyotes’ coach, Dave Tippett, said:
“It's just a poor call.”
He added:
“It's a blatant goalie interference, but that being said we can't go down 2-0 early in games and be expecting to come back."
Keith Yandle scored late in the same period to once again reduce the deficit to one goal, but no team could score after that and Columbus eventually won the game.
Coyotes are now going to face Minnesota Wild on Thursday, while Blue Jackets will take on Los Angeles Kings on the same day.
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