Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 1 - Buffy the Vampire Slayer
GLENDALE , Ariz. - Nathan Horton was so excited about making his debut with the Columbus Blue Jackets that he couldn't sleep the night before.
The Phoenix Coyotes would rather he had waited one more game.
The Blue Jackets' prize free agent scored his 199th career goal in the second period and R.J. Umberger added a power-play goal midway through the third period to give Columbus a 2-0 victory against the Coyotes on Thursday at Jobing.com Arena.
Horton, who signed a seven-year, $37.1 million contract last summer but missed the first 40 games following shoulder surgery, was parked just outside the crease when he gathered in a James Wisniewski shot and stuffed it past Phoenix goalie Mike Smith at 15:51 for a power-play goal.
He might be wearing a different uniform, but it's the same old Nathan Horton as far as Phoenix is concerned. Horton, who played for the Florida Panthers and Boston Bruins before coming to Columbus, has five goals and 11 points in nine career games against the Coyotes.
His goal was all Blue Jackets goalie Curtis McElhinney needed. Though starter Sergei Bobrovsky is back from a groin injury and dressed for the first time in a month, McElhinney got the call and made 34 saves for his fourth career shutout and second of the season. Phoenix pounded the Columbus net with 21 shots in the third period - tying a season high for shots in a period - but came up empty.
Smith made 29 saves for Phoenix, which was shut out for the first time this season but has failed to score in its past two games against Columbus. The Blue Jackets won 1-0 in a shootout after 65 minutes of scoreless hockey last March 16 in Columbus, with Bobrovsky getting that shutout.
Columbus hadn't scored a power-play goal in its last 16 attempts and was in a 2-for-32 slump before getting a pair in four tries against Phoenix.
The Coyotes not only lost the game, but a key member of their team. Defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson suffered an upper body injury when he was hit from behind and into the glass by Derek MacKenzie of Columbus almost nine minutes into the first period.
No penalty was called on the play, but MacKenzie was immediately engaged by Phoenix's Keith Yandle for a fight. Ekman-Larsson was quickly taken to the dressing room and did not return, though coach Dave Tippett said after the game that the move was made as a precaution.
Ekman-Larsson, expected to represent Sweden in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, has four goals and 22 points and had played in all 40 games for the Coyotes this season. His usual first-unit defense partner, Zbynek Michalek, is already in the injured reserve list with a hip injury.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 2 - Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Entertainment Plaza - TV, Movies, Sports, Music
http://members.shaw.ca/almosthuman99
Babe Of The Month
http://members.shaw.ca/almosthuman99/babeofthemonth.html
Hunk Of The Month
http://members.shaw.ca/almosthuman99/babeofthemonthman.html
0 comments:
Post a Comment