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COLUMBUS, Ohio -- In a game in which both teams badly needed a win to stay in the playoff picture, Jason Spezza did what captains do. Saints Jimmy Graham Youth Jersey . Spezza scored a power-play goal with 5 minutes left and Stephane Da Costa had the other two goals to lead the Ottawa Senators to a 3-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday night. "It was a tie game and we got a faceoff play and then a little bit of puck luck in front of the net," Spezza said. "Johnny on the spot." After Nathan Horton went off for tripping at 13:08, the Senators took advantage late in the power play. Colin Greenings pass through the crease was deflected by Blue Jackets defenceman Fedor Tyutin, with Spezza closest to the loose puck. His first shot was blocked by Tyutin, but he took another whack at it and got it past McElhinney for the tiebreaker. Spezza, named captain in September, is having a solid if unspectacular season. He also picked up his 23rd assist to go with his 14th goal. But he came into the game with a minus-21 plus/minus rating. "No doubt Ive had much better years in the past," he said. "But theres a lot of hockey left, and I have a lot to give." Craig Anderson had 34 saves for the Senators, who had lost two in a row and four of five but picked up a critical win against another team theyre battling for contention in the Eastern Conference. "Youve just got to be patient," Anderson said while improving to 17-10-7 on the year. "Thats the key to any position, especially goalie. You start chasing (the puck), they can make you look silly or foolish. Patience is a virtue." Down a goal headed into the third period, the Blue Jackets tied it on a power play. Anderson turned away one hard shot by James Wisniewski from the top of the right circle, but moments later the Columbus defenceman got another chance and this time he found the net. Matt Calvert helped set it up with a screen that completely blocked Andersons vision. The goal was Wisniewskis fifth of the year and came at the 7:16 mark. But that just set up Spezzas big goal. Anderson made several clutch saves in the waning moments after the Blue Jackets pulled their goalie for an extra attacker. Up 1-0 after the opening period, the Senators made it 2-0 at the 6:24 mark of the second -- and again it was Da Costa getting the goal. Spezza corraled a loose puck along the back wall and waited patiently before feeding Da Costa for his second of the night and second of the season. "Its real good to see him score," coach Paul MacLean said. "He was a good player for us tonight. Since hes come up, hes been good." Calvert carried the puck around the back of the goal and fed it to the point, eventually getting it back at the right doorstep. He slipped a blind, between-his-legs and backward pass to Atkinson, who had an empty net for his 16th at the 12-minute mark. Ottawas Milan Michalek split two defenders in the high slot but lost the puck, with Da Costa trailing the play. He jabbed at the puck and got it through heavy traffic at the 8:06 mark of the first period. The first one was just lying there on the power play so I kind of jumped on it," said Da Costa, playing only his eighth game with the Senators this season. "The second one was a real good pass from Spez to the backdoor and I just tapped it in." The Blue Jackets, playing their third game in four nights and second of a back-to-back, looked tired and sluggish most of the evening. "It took a long time (to get everyone skating) and some guys still arent going," Columbus coach Todd Richards said. "To me, thats it right there. Were a good team when we have 18 skaters going and we were missing too many tonight." NOTES: Columbus LW Blake Comeau saw his first action after missing nine games with a sprained medial-collateral ligament in his left knee. ... Ottawa improved to 12-9-5 on the road this year, better than the 11-11-5 the Senators are at home. ... Senators D Chris Phillips did not play after suffering a minor injury during Saturdays 6-3 loss at Carolina. Saints Kenny Vaccaro Limited Jersey . -- D.A. Points was disqualified Friday from the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am for using a training device while waiting to play the 18th hole at Pebble Beach. Saints Archie Manning White Jersey . -- Age really is just a number for Eduardo Sebrango.BERLIN -- Nuremberg drew 1-1 at Stuttgart on Friday in Gertjan Verbeeks first game in charge of the relegation-threatened Bundesliga team. The Dutchmans tenure got off to a poor start when referee Guido Winkmann awarded a penalty within two minutes for Niklas Starks clumsy challenge on Alexandru Maxim. Stuttgarts Vedad Ibisevic rifled the spot kick into the top left corner for the Bosnians league-leading seventh goal of the season. But then U.S. defender Timmy Chandler set up Josip Drmic to equalize with a cool finish beyond goalkeeper Sven Ulreich in off the far post three minutes later. "It was a bad start but then we scored a nice goal and we had our chances. Im satisfied with the 1-1," said Verbeek, who was appointed Tuesday in place of the sacked Michael Wiesinger. Stuttgart striker Martin Harnik had two great chances and Ibrahima Traore hit the post in the first half for the home side, while Daniel Ginczek came closest for the visitors in the second half. Maxim had a golden chance to win it in injury time only for Nuremberg defender Emanuel Pogatetz to make a crucial clearance. http://www.saintsstore.us.com/Black-94-Cameron-Jordan-Womens-Jersey/. "The results not too bad, but the football needs to improve," said Verbeek, whose side remains in the relegation play-off spot ahead of the rest of the weekends games. Nuremberg defender Per Nilsson lamented the sides seventh draw from 10 games. "Unfortunately theyve been part of our season up to now," the Swede said. "We were just missing that little bit of luck. But the result is OK, I guess." Nuremberg will take confidence from the fact Stuttgart coach Thomas Schneider is unbeaten since he took over from Bruno Labbadia, who was fired after three league games. "When a new coach comes along theres new fire in the team, everyone wants to make a good impression," Ulreich said. "We knew it would be difficult tonight." Stuttgart missed the chance to go provisionally fourth. ' ' ' |
