Ottawa 3, Columbus 2
When: 7:00 PM ET, Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Where: Nationwide Arena, Columbus, Ohio
Referees:
Ian Walsh, Brad Watson
Linesmen:
Andy McElman, Pierre Racicot
Attendance:
13373
By SportsDirect Inc.
Senators 3, Blue Jackets 2: Captain Jason Spezza's power-play goal with 4:58 remaining in the third period helped host Ottawa shade Columbus
With Nathan Horton serving a tripping minor, Spezza tapped in a loose puck from in front of the net as the Senators won for just the second time in six games. Stephane Da Costa scored his first two goals of the season while Craig Anderson turned aside 34 shots to preserve the win.
Cam Atkinson and defenseman James Wisniewski each recorded a power-play goal and an assist for the Blue Jackets, who have lost three straight following an eight-game winning streak. Curtis McElhinney made 25 saves in defeat.
Da Costa opened the scoring during a power play at 8:06 of the first period, sweeping a backhand shot from the low slot through a maze of players and past McElhinney. He doubled the advantage 6:24 into the second, wristing a feed from Spezza past McElhinney from point-blank range to cap his first career multi-goal performance.
Atkinson trimmed the deficit at the 12-minute mark of the period, one-timing a nifty between-the-legs backhand pass from Matt Calvert into a wide-open net for a man-advantage tally. The Blue Jackets used another power play to draw even 7:16 into the third, as Wisniewski blasted a shot from the top of the left faceoff circle that eluded Anderson.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Ottawa improved to 15-4-3 when scoring first. ... Spezza finished with a plus-1 rating, his first plus game since a 5-0 victory over Pittsburgh on Dec. 23. ... Columbus outhit Ottawa 35-20 while winning 43-of-68 faceoffs.
Top Game Performances
| Ottawa |
|
Columbus |
|
Stephane Da Costa 2 |
Points |
Cam Atkinson 2 |
|
Stephane Da Costa 2 |
Goals |
Cam Atkinson 1 |
|
Jason Spezza 1 |
Assists |
Cam Atkinson 1 |
|
Stephane Da Costa 1 |
Power Play Goals |
Cam Atkinson 1 |
|
N/A |
Short Handed Goals |
N/A |
|
Craig Anderson .944 |
Save Percentage |
Curtis McElhinney .893 |
|
Craig Anderson 34 |
Saves |
Curtis McElhinney 25 |
Team Stats Summary
| Team |
Shots |
Goals |
Power Play |
Penalty Kill |
Penalty Mins |
Face Offs Won |
| Ottawa
|
28 |
3 |
2-4 |
3-5 |
14 |
25 |
| Columbus
|
36 |
2 |
2-5 |
2-4 |
12 |
43 |
Upcoming Games
-
Columbus will play their next game at home against Washington. The Blue Jackets have a W/L % of .538 after a win and .444 after a loss.
-
Ottawa will play their next game at home against Tampa Bay. The Senators have a W/L % of .318 after a win and .516 after a loss.