Atlanta, GA (Sports Network) - Raffi Torres scored twice as the Columbus Blue
Jackets knocked off the Atlanta Thrashers, 4-3, at Philips Arena.
Derick Brassard and Jakub Voracek each had a goal and an assist for the Blue
Jackets, who have won two of three. Mathieu Garon made 32 saves in the
victory.
"It's a big road win for us," said Garon. "I think in the last stretch we've
managed to get six points out of eight, which is pretty good. I think we feel
good now. Going back home we know we can play a little better and get some
points."
Tobias Enstrom notched a goal and an assist while Bryan Little and Pavel
Kubina each lit the lamp for the Thrashers, who had won their previous two.
Ondrej Pavelec was charged with four goals on 21 shots in the loss.
"A few bad bounces out there tonight," said Kubina. "I thought we played
pretty well and deserved better than the results of the game. We've been
talking about our slow starts for pretty much all of our home games and we
just have to be sharp."
Trailing by two goals to start the third, the Thrashers made it a 4-3 game on
the power play just 2:06 into the final frame as Kubina's one-timer from the
left point beat Garon to the glove side.
Atlanta had two more power plays in the third, but the Columbus penalty
killing and Garon were able to keep it a one-goal game.
The Thrashers pulled Pavelec from the net with just over a minute to play, but
they were unable to net the equalizer.
Columbus drew first blood just past the midway point of the first period.
Jason Chimera sent a shot from the right circle that Pavelec stopped, but he
kicked the rebound out to the left side where Voracek slammed it home.
Just over two minutes later, the Blue Jackets made it a 2-0 game as Brassard
skated into the zone down the left wing, cut into the slot unchallenged and
let fly with a wrister that beat Pavelec to the left side.
Atlanta got on the board at the 4:06 mark of the second period. Enstrom
blasted a shot from the left point that Little tipped past Garon to make it a
2-1 game.
Columbus, though, got the goal back just 1:43 later on Torres' first goal of
the game.
The Thrashers got a power-play goal from Enstrom at the 11:01 mark of the
second as his slap shot from the top of the right circle beat Garon over the
glove.
However, the Blue Jackets again answered quickly as Torres had an easy tap-in
from the right side with 7:15 to play in the second.