By ZACH DAVIS
FOXSportsOhio.com
Feb. 16, 2011
COLUMBUS -- Los Angeles won the battle between two of the hottest teams in the NHL tonight in a 4-3 victory over the Blue Jackets in Nationwide Arena. The Kings are now 8-0-2 in their last 10 games while Columbus is 8-3-3 in its last 14.
The Blue Jackets tied the game with just 93 seconds remaining after a goal by Kris Russell, but Los Angeles scored the lone goal of the shootout to grab the win.
"You have to look at the positive," R.J. Umberger said. "We got a point here. It's unfortunate that they got two and they are moving up further on us, but we battled pretty hard. Tonight was a hard game and we stuck with it. This is a good hockey team, we stuck with it and to get three goals against this team is a good accomplishment."
With the victory, the Kings (31-23-3) move just one point behind Calgary for the eighth seed in the Western Conference with 67 points. The West's No. 4-8 slots are all tied with 68 points. Columbus (28-23-6) is six points behind at 62.
Rick Nash had a game-high three points (1 G, 2 A) for the Blue Jackets, while Jakub Voracek and Derek MacKenzie each had a goal and an assist. MacKenzie replaced first-line center Derick Brassard in the first period after he was hit in the hand with a slapshot.
"MacKenzie certainly took advantage of that ice time playing with [Nash and Voracek]," Columbus Head Coach Scott Arniel said. "I was jockeying on who to throw in there and the first time I put him in he scored a goal. I made up my mind for the rest of the game."
Arniel refused to update the media with injury updates after the game and will continue to do so for the remainder of the season.
"From this point forward we are going back to lower body, mid-torso and upper body injuries," Arniel said. "Media members went behind my back to try and figure out injuries. Brassard got hit with a slapshot, that's all I'll say."
Umberger was another Columbus center lost in the first period after an upper body injury following a collision, but he was able to return in the second period.
"He said he was good to go so I didn't care," Arniel said. "It takes a lot to take him out of the lineup. He's pretty determined. There have been a lot of times this year where maybe some people might not want to play
