Voracek, Mason lead Blue Jackets past Blackhawks
Jakub Voracek had two goals and an assist, and Steve Mason made 33 saves to lead the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 4-2 win over the slumping Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday night.
Andrew Murray and Mike Commodore also scored for Columbus, which defeated Central Division-leading Chicago for the second time in four days. The Blackhawks are 2-4-2 in their last eight.
Chicago's Dave Bolland and Patrick Sharp scored against Mason, who made several timely close-in stops and was supported by tight-checking play. Antti Niemi started for the fourth time in five games for the Black Hawks and made 16 saves.
Derick Brassard and R.J. Umberger each had two assists for the Blue Jackets.
Although the Blackhawks remained seven points ahead of second-place Nashville in the Central Division, they missed an opportunity to gain ground on San Jose in the race for first place in the Western Conference.
Bolland was credited with the goal that opened the scoring at 8:58 of the first. Mason stopped Brent Seabrook's shot from the right point, and Bolland failed to tap in the rebound from the side of the net. Columbus' Antoine Vermette swept in the crease and tried to clear the puck, but inadvertently knocked it into the net.
Murray tied it at 1 just under two minutes later during a delayed penalty call when he stuffed in a loose puck from a scrum in the crease.
The Blue Jackets scored twice late in the second period to take a 3-1 lead.
Voracek knocked a loose puck into a wide-open net with 6:35 left in the second to make it 2-1. After Niemi blocked Brassard's from the right circle and dropped to the ice, Voracek pounced on the rebound from the left edge of the crease.
Commodore extended it to 3-1, scoring on a shot from the point with 6.3 seconds left in the period while Voracek was screening Niemi.
Sharp cut it to 3-2 with 3:13 left in the third when he scored on a short-handed breakaway. The goal set off a late Chicago offensive flurry, but Voracek scored into an empty net with 8 seconds remaining.
NOTES: Columbus RW Chris Clark suffered an undisclosed injury in the second period and didn't return. ... Blue Jackets RW Jared Boll missed his second game with an injured left hand and is day to day. ... Chicago D Kim Johnsson missed his seventh game with a concussion. ... Blackhawks D Nick Boynton was a healthy scratch for the first time in six games since being recalled from Rockford of the AHL on March 16.
