12/01/2008 - Columbus, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kristian Huselius scored the game-winning goal with 4:44 left in the third period and assisted on another score as the Columbus Blue Jackets notched a 3-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks at Nationwide Arena.
Andrew Murray and Fredrik Modin also scored for the Blue Jackets, who won their second straight game after posting just two wins over their previous seven games. Rick Nash posted two assists.
Steve Mason made 30 saves, including several dandies in the waning moments, to earn the win.
"Vancouver is a hard team to play against, because they expose your lack of patience," Columbus head coach Ken Hitchcock said. "Both teams were going at it pretty good. This was kind of payback for the games we've played so well and then something (bad) has happened at the end."
Columbus is 7-5-1 as the host this year and had lost three in a row at Nationwide before beating the Caps on Saturday. Columbus next heads out on a three-game road trip, beginning Thursday in San Jose.
Kyle Wellwood and Kevin Bieksa had the goals for Vancouver, which has now dropped three straight games. Alexander Edler had two assists.
Curtis Sanford started the game with a spotless first period, making 11 saves, but had to leave prior to the second with back spasms. Cory Schneider took over in the crease and allowed three goals on 18 shots in taking the loss.
Monday's loss marked the second stop on a season-long seven-game road trip for the Canucks, who are 7-6-1 as the visiting team this year.
"That's part of the hockey season. You're going to be challenged. You have to be able to respond," Vancouver head coach Alain Vigneault said of the current losing stretch.
Bieksa started off the third frame with a hard shot from the high slot that found its way past Mason on the power play to make it a 2-1 game, but Murray netted the equalizer on a wrister just 3 1/2 minutes later, his third of the season.
Nash rifled a pass across the goal-mouth to Huselius to the right of Schneider for the bang-bang, go-ahead score inside of five minutes and Mason did the rest.
Fedor Tyutin took a cross-checking minor inside of two minutes left and Schneider was pulled for 1:40 of that time for a two-man advantage. Mason, though, stopped all comers and used the length of his body with a raised blocker to stop Wellwood on a point-blank shot to ensure victory.
"I took a quick glance to see how much time was left on the board and it wasn't ticking down fast enough," Mason said. "But we closed it out and that was probably our biggest kill of the year so far."
The teams skated to a scoreless tie after one period with Sanford turning aside 11 Columbus offerings and Mason making eight saves.
With Nash boxed for a hooking minor just 1:32 into the second, the Canucks lit the lamp with five seconds left on the man advantage. Mason knocked down a shot from Daniel Sedin at left point but Wellwood was camped to the left of the net and shoveled in the rebound.
The Blue Jackets had an answer, though, at the 9:30 mark with a power-play marker of their own. Huselius skated down low through the left circle and sent a feed into the low slot for Modin, who elevated a shot past Schneider.
Game Notes
The Blue Jackets beat the visiting Canucks, 4-2, in the first of four meetings between the clubs on October 21...Columbus has won four in a row and six of the last eight encounters with Vancouver...The Canucks have been defeated in three straight and four of their last five trips to Columbus...Vancouver was 2-for-4 on power-play opportunities while Columbus was 1-for-8.
<< Canucks' G Sanford leaves game with back spasms
Columbus, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Vancouver Canucks netminder Curtis Sanford
left Monday's 3-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets following the first period
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<< Pierce keys Celtics' ninth straight win
Boston, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Paul Pierce scored 17 of his team-high 24 points
in the third quarter, as the Boston Celtics rolled to their ninth straight win
by beating Orlando, 107-88.
Ray Allen scored 21 points, Rajon Rondo netted 16 poi
<< Richardson paces Bobcats over Timberwolves
Charlotte, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jason Richardson scored a season-high 25
points, and Emeka Okafor added a season-best 24 points to go along with 10
rebounds, as Charlotte downed Minnesota, 100-90.
The Bobcats also got a season-h
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four blocked shots, as second-ranked Connecticut rolled past Delaware
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79-49.
Gavin Edwards scored 17 points in a reserve role, Jerome Dyson netted 15
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Oakland, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Oakland Athletics declined to offer salary
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Frank Thomas.
Left-handed pitcher Alan Embree, right-handed pitcher Keith Fou
Avs use big second period and then hold off Wild >>
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The 64-year-ol
Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl Odds
Will he or won't he? Now that the Dallas Cowboys have a new head coach in Wade Phillips, the big question will be: Does Terrell Owens stay with the team.
Jerry Jones continues to suggest that Terrell Owens will remain with the team.
"I've said that he's back, he's here, he's under contract," Jones said. "In the interviews I've just been through (to hire a new coach), it was very clear to me how highly he's thought of and how much of an impact he had on our offensive success."
Just to be sure though, Terrell Owens cleared out his locker and removed his name plate.
Terrell Owens was among the Cowboys most productive players this past season, catching 85 passes for 1,180 yards and a league-best 13 touchdowns.
But T.O. is due a $3 million roster bonus in June, then a $5 million salary this season. Cutting him before then would save a lot of money and headaches.
Aside from the questions surrounding Terrell Owens, the oddsmakers at MySportsbook.com have concerns over starting quarterback Tony Romo's state of mind and whether he will remain a starting quarterback. It is also not known how players will adjust to new head coach, Wade Phillips.
Here are the football odds as seen at MySportsbook.com and subject to change after February 10, 2007 if not locked in prior to that date.
Arizona Cardinals 60-1
Atlanta Falcons 50-1
Baltimore Ravens 15-1
Buffalo Bills 50-1
Carolina Panthers 18-1
Chicago Bears 10-1
Cincinnati Bengals 15-1
Cleveland Browns 100-1
Dallas Cowboys 15-1
Denver Broncos 15-1
Detroit Lions 100-1
Green Bay Packers 50-1
Houston Texans 100-1
Indianapolis Colts 6-1
Jacksonville Jaguars 30-1
Kansas City Chiefs 30-1
Miami Dolphins 40-1
Minnesota Vikings 75-1
New England Patriots 10-1
New Orleans Saints 18-1
New York Giants 20-1
New York Jets 30-1
Oakland Raiders 100-1
Philadelphia Eagles 18-1
Pittsburgh Steelers 10-1
Saint Louis Rams 60-1
San Diego Chargers 6-1
San Francisco 49ers 75-1
Seattle Seahawks 20-1
Tampa Bay Buccanneers 75-1
Tennessee Titans 40-1
Washington Redskins 50-1
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