By Zach Davis
FOXSportsOhio.com
March 7th, 2011
The Blue Jackets lost their fifth straight game tonight in a 5-4 shootout against St. Louis. After winning a franchise record six straight games on the road, Columbus lost all five matchups (0-3-2) in the last nine days on its current road trip.
The Blue Jackets (31-26-8) are now six points behind Los Angeles for the eighth spot in the Western Conference for the final playoff slot. The Blues (29-28-9) have won just two of their last nine games and nearly dropped below .500 for the first time this year.
Steve Mason allowed three goals on St. Louis' first four shots in the shootout, falling to 22-17-3 on the season. Mason also allowed three goals in the first period and has given up eight goals in the opening period of the last four games.
"I wasn't very good in the shootout," Mason said. "Anything but a win is a step backward for us right now."
24-year-old goaltender Ben Bishop (3-4) gave up just one goal on 20 shots and topped the Jackets for the shootout victory. He replaced Ty Conklin (7-7-3) after he was pulled after giving up three goals on eight shots.
Rick Nash (2 A) and Jakub Voracek (1 G, 1 A) each had two points for the Blue Jackets. Nash also scored in the shootout.
Matt Calvert had a goal for his first point in four games. The 21-year-old forward had nine points in the previous six contests.
St. Louis forward Andy McDonald (15, 16) scored twice for the Blues and added another in the shootout.
After Patrik Berglund (18) opened the game with a goal just 84 minutes in, Columbus tied it at one with a score by Voracek, his 13th of the year.
"We knew it was going to start that way," Columbus coach Scott Arniel said. "It's two teams that don't like each other a lot. Usually, they're pretty spirited games."
Calvert (11) and Fedor Tyutin (6) gave the Blue Jackets a 3-1 advantage 10 minutes in, but with their playoff dreams in serious jeopardy Columbus couldn't hold the lead for even the remainder of the period. McDonald and T.J. Oshie (7) each scored within the next four minutes on power plays to even the game at 3-3.
"Obviously we didn't expect six goals to be scored after the first," Mason said. "But we worked hard and did a lot of good things."
McDonald (16) scored his second goal of the game in the second period to grab a 4-3 advantage for the Blues, but that lead would not last as Derek MacKenzie (5) evened the score at four just four minutes later.
With Columbus desperate to salvage what's left of its playoff hopes, the Blue Jackets face St. Louis again on Wednesday at Nationwide Arena at 7 p.m.
