Ken Hitchcock gets back at Columbus as St. Louis Blues edge Blue Jackets 2-1 -NHL Update
Ken Hitchcock was the best coach that Columbus had by getting them in their first playoffs back in 2009, but was fired a season later which has been downhill for the team ever since. St. Louis Blues played a fantastic game against their coach’s former National
Hockey League (NHL) and edged the Columbus Blue Jackets, 2-1, Sunday night, November 27, 2011, at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, United States.
St. Louis and Columbus were both struggling at the end of the 2010-2011 NHL regular season, but it is the Blues who are now sitting fifth in the Western Conference with 28 points while the Blue Jackets are last in the league with 15.
Hitchcock certainly does not have any grudges against his old team, especially against the players, who he regards as some of the best he has ever played with.
"There's a lot of players on the other side I'm close with," Hitchcock said. "I have a healthy respect for those players because I would say 10 of those guys went through the wall for me."
There was no scoring on both sides of the rink during the first 20 minute period until Columbus got the first of the night with Derek Dorsett scoring his third at the 5:06 mark in the second.
Kris Russell ensured that St. Louis would not be entering the third and final period down by one and made the equaliser with eight seconds left to play to level the match.
Cody Bass and Ryan Reaves exchanged fists as the pressure on both teams mounted 4:21 into the third period and were awarded a major penalty each.
David Backes came off strong with the puck and fired on through Columbus goalie, Curtis Sanford, nearly midway through for the game-winner during a power play opportunity.
"It was almost like a playoff game," Sanford said. "It was like a chess match. Their special teams came out on top. That's usually the difference in these games."
St. Louis has two more on the road before they return for five straight, the next being against the Washington Capitals on Tuesday, while the struggling Blue Jackets look to win against the Vancouver Canucks on the same day.
Tags: