ANAHEIM, Calif.
Cheap NBA Jerseys . -- For a team that once
appeared almost invincible at home -- and dominated the NHL for two full months
-- the Anaheim Ducks suddenly have slipped into mediocrity. By contrast, the
Columbus Blue Jackets have become one of the leagues hottest teams.
Sergei Bobrovsky made 34 saves, Nick Foligno scored twice in the third period
and the inspired Blue Jackets also got goals from Ryan Johansen and
R.J. Umberger in a 4-2 victory over the Ducks on Monday night. "We are really
playing to our identity right now," Umberger said. "We are working hard. We are
a gritty team. We let our forecheck do the work for us. We dont score too many
pretty goals. Were just kind of a team that grinds it out. We got rewarded with
some rebounds and some deflections tonight. And we get big saves from Bob when
we need them." The Blue Jackets are 11-0-3 since Jan. 6, a stretch that began
with a franchise-record, eight-game winning streak. Bobrovsky, last seasons
Vezina Trophy winner, is 10-2-0 with a 2.17 goals-against average in his last 12
starts after missing 14 games because of a groin strain. "Theyre playing good
hockey," Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf said. "I mean, if you watch the game tape,
every time they touch the puck in their zone they chip it out and they go skate
onto it. That was a solid road game they played. Right now were playing teams
that are fighting for that last playoff spot, and those are things weve got to
notice and take into account." Getzlaf and Mathieu Perreault scored for Anaheim.
Frederik Andersen stopped 29 shots. The Ducks, who started 22-0-2 on home ice
and enjoyed a comfortable lead atop the overall standings about two weeks ago,
are 4-5-0 since Jan. 15 and have lost three of four on their five-game
homestand. But they still lead Chicago by three points for the leagues best
total with two games left before the Olympic break. "If we were a .500 hockey
club, this would be the norm. But its not," coach Bruce Boudreau said. "It all
boils down to will and want, and they wanted it a lot more than us. You could
see it on the loose pucks. They were getting them and we werent. And anytime
there was a 1-on-1 confrontation, I didnt see us winning the battles. Thats a
pure indicator, to me, that we didnt have a sense of urgency." The Ducks host
the defending Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks on Wednesday night, less than
three weeks after Chicago ended Anaheims phenomenal 18-1 surge with a 4-2 win at
United Center. "Its never good to see Chicago because theyre a great team, but
its probably great that Chicagos coming in," Boudreau said. "Thats maybe what we
need, because if we dont play up to our best level against a team like that,
then were going to get our butts kicked." Bobrovskys best save came at 5:25 of
the second period, when he flicked out his right leg at the last instant to
thwart Andrew Cogliano at the end of a 2-on-1 rush with Corey Perry. The Ducks
got on the board at 5:45 of the third when Perreault converted a centring pass
from Patrick Maroon at the edge of the crease to trim Columbus lead to 2-1. "We
havent had a lot of emotion lately. Were just going through the motions,"
Perreault said. "Weve been winning so much that we kind of got into a lull right
now. We have to find a way to get out of it." Foligno got that goal back with
11:12 remaining, popping the puck over Andersens shoulder after the Ducks goalie
stopped Umbergers wide-angle shot from the right corner. The other assist went
to Artem Anisimov. Foligno added his 15th goal with 6:53 to play, converting a
rebound with 17 seconds left on a 5-on-3 advantage after Saku Koivu and
defenceman Hampus Lindholm were sent off simultaneously for high-sticking and
cross-checking. Johansen won all six faceoffs he took in the first period and
opened the scoring at the 11:10 mark with his team-high 23rd goal, sending a
one-timer between Perrys legs and over Andersens glove from 25 feet out after
Nathan Horton set him up in the left circle. "Its frustrating, as far as the
start of the game. We werent ready to play," Getzlaf said. "They came out and
played hard and did their thing. Their goaltender played well early, and we just
didnt respond. We kind of showed 5 minutes here and 5 minutes there, but we
didnt play a complete game. Were not focused. Were not playing the way we can
and doing the things we do well." Umberger made it 2-0 at 16:43 of the second
with his 15th of the season, after Ducks defenceman Bryan Allen was sent off for
tripping him. Former Anaheim defenceman James Wisniewski got the puck at the top
of the left circle from Mark Letestu and took a slap shot that ricocheted into
the net off Umbergers right skate. NOTES: Andersen came in 7-0 with a 1.50
goals-against average at home. ... Anaheim is 4 for 26 on the power play since
scoring six times in 11 opportunities against Vancouver on Jan. 15. ... D
Sami Vatanen played his first game with the Ducks since Jan. 17. He spent the
past 1 1/2 weeks with Norfolk of the AHL, but was recalled Monday when D
Mark Fistric was placed on injured reserve with a lower-body injury.
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From China . Pau Gasol had 23 points and 17 rebounds, and
injury-riddled Los Angeles used its sixth different starting point guard of the
season in a 110-99 victory over the Utah Jazz on Friday night.
Wholesale
Jerseys . Koes Calgary squad of third Pat Simmons, second Carter
Rycroft, and lead Nolan Thiessen methodically cruised to a 6-3 victory Saturday
over Denmarks Rasmus Stjerne.BALTIMORE -- The Baltimore Orioles have signed
right-hander Evan Meek to a minor league contract with an invitation to major
league spring training. Meek pitched 12 innings over 12 games with Pittsburgh
last season. The 30-yyear-old spent five years with the Pirates, going 7-7 with
a 3.
Wholesale NBA Jerseys. 34 ERA in 156
appearances out of the bullpen. Meeks best season was in 2010, when he went 5-4
with a 2.14 ERA and four saves in 70 games.
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