BLUE JACKETS 3 / SHARKS 2, OT Moreau redeems himself, big time
Dateline: STOCKHOLM
The Blue Jackets will fly home today after a week in Scandinavia, their suitcases bulging with trinkets and their minds full of memories. But the trip would have been sullied, the Jackets all agreed, if they hadn't dug deep to overcome their own mistakes last night against one of the NHL's top teams.
Newcomer Ethan Moreau scored on a rising wrister from high atop the left faceoff circle at 1:55 of overtime, sparking a 3-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks before 9,537 in Ericsson Globe.
It marked Blue Jackets coach Scott Arniel's first NHL victory.
"Coming out of this with two points is huge," Blue Jackets defenseman Anton Stralman said. "And it makes this night in Sweden our best night in Sweden."
Kristian Huselius and Rick Nash also scored for the Blue Jackets, while goaltender Steve Mason made 33 saves. He stopped 27 of 28 shots in the final two periods, when the Blue Jackets overcame numerous self-inflicted problems.
The Blue Jackets were called for seven minor penalties in the final two periods -- and lived to tell about it.
"Our penalty kill and our goaltender were outstanding," Arniel said. "We just spent way too much time doing it. That power play is dangerous.
"When you kill that much, it just wears people down. We lost our rhythm on the bench in the third period."
Moreau was part of the problem. Two of those penalties were his, one for roughing and another for tripping.
"I don't mind getting roughing or charging penalties. That's kind of the way I play," Moreau said. "When you get a tripping penalty ... I didn't feel too good about that.
"The guys bailed me out. I was pretty anxious in the penalty box. I definitely wanted to get some redemption."
The winning goal was started by a back-checking Sammy Pahlsson, who rubbed San Jose's Dany Heatley off the puck along the boards and started a rush in the other direction. Fedor Tyutin fed Moreau the puck as he entered the attack zone with speed.
Moreau said he knew the tendency of San Jose goaltender Antero Niittymaki to drop to the ice in a butterfly stance, so he fired his wrister high. It ticked off Niittymaki's glove and into the net.
"Ethan was pretty upset with himself," Arniel said. "He buried his head and pounded the puck right there. He told me he owed me one (after the penalties)."
The scene on the bench was pure jubilation. The players surrounded Arniel to celebrate his first win, then grabbed Moreau -- who was claimed by the Blue Jackets off waivers this summer -- to cheer his first goal as a member of the Blue Jackets.
"We had a pretty happy bench and a pretty big group hug there after Ethan scored," Arniel said.
The Blue Jackets have much to discuss, however, before they play again. The home opener is Friday against Stanley Cup winner Chicago in Nationwide Arena.
The Jackets have taken 17 minor penalties in two games, and they've gotten very little production out of the '06-'07-'08 line, centered by Derick Brassard.
But there are plenty of good signs, too.
The Blue Jackets allowed only one even-strength goal in two games against the Sharks, who finished with the most points in the Western Conference last season.
The checking line -- Moreau, Pahlsson and R.J. Umberger -- looked dynamic in all three zones.
And, perhaps most important, they'll have a goaltender on the plane -- Mason -- who looks like he's back to the trophy-winning form of his rookie season.
Since allowing a soft goal early in Friday's game, Mason has looked large, composed and quick.
"I think it's safe to say now that he's back to where he was two years ago," Arniel said.
aportzline@dispatch.com
Game wrap-up
THREE STARS
* Sammy Pahlsson, C, Jackets: Had six hits.
* Steve Mason, G, Blue Jackets: Stopped 27 of 28 shots in the final two periods.
* Ethan Moreau, LW, Blue Jackets: Buried the game winner.
GAME SUMMARY
Blue Jackets, 3, Sharks 2, OT
Columbus 1 0 1 1 -- 3
San Jose 1 0 1 0 -- 2
FIRST PERIOD: Scoring -- 1, San Jose, Setoguchi 1 (Demers, Clowe), 2:02 (pp). 2, Columbus, Nash 1 (Vermette, Huselius), 3:13. Penalties -- Vermette, Clm (holding stick), :06; Demers, SJ (slashing), 5:52; McGinn, SJ (kneeing), 18:08.
SECOND: Penalties -- McGinn, SJ (hooking), :15; Vermette, Clm (slashing), :49; Moreau, Clm (roughing), 3:22; Stralman, Clm (hooking), 9:08; Hejda, Clm (high-sticking), 11:22.
THIRD: Scoring -- 3, Columbus, Huselius 2 (Filatov, Stralman), 5:07 (pp). 4, San Jose, Thornton 2 (Heatley, Marleau), 7:05 (pp). Penalties -- Setoguchi, SJ (interference), 4:40; Commodore, Clm (hooking), 5:30; Moreau, Clm (tripping), 10:23; Klesla, Clm (boarding), 18:07.
OVERTIME: Scoring -- 5, Columbus, Moreau 1 (Tyutin), 1:56.
Shots on goal: Columbus 12-5-6-2--25. San Jose 7-12-16-0--35. Power plays: Columbus 1 of 4; San Jose 2 of 8. Goalies: Columbus, Mason 1-1-0 (35 shots-33 saves). San Jose, Niittymaki 0-0-1 (25-22). A: 9,537. T: 2:23.
