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Blue Jackets notebook
Crosby: Goal 'was a fluke'
Saturday,
October 31, 2009 2:58 AM
The Columbus Dispatch
Kyle Robertson | Dispatch
Rostislav Klesla of the Blue Jackets clears a puck in front of goaltender Steve Mason in the second period against the Penguins.
A season later, Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby got his revenge against Steve Mason in
the shootout.
But the sheepish grin on Crosby's face, as he skated to the bench after scoring the only goal of the one-on-one showdown, told everyone how he felt about the play. The Blue Jackets goaltender stopped Crosby's shot with his stick but lost sight of the puck, only to locate it as it trickled into the net. The bizarre shootout goal capped a furious Penguins comeback for a 4-3 win in Nationwide Arena. "I thought he had me. I tried to get him to bite and he didn't," Crosby said. "It was a fluke. I'm not going home tonight thinking I beat him. He made the save." It is little consolation for Mason, who was playing one of his best games of the season until the Penguins struck for two goals in a 39-second span late in the third period. "There are a lot of good things that came out of this game, but we're not closing out games the way we should," Mason said. "We had one in Edmonton (where the Jackets blew a three-goal lead) and we had one tonight. We are letting points slip away." Mason finished with 29 saves, including a spectacular glove stop on Crosby in the second period. It looked as though it would be a confidence-builder for a goalie who has lost five of his past six starts. But the night took an unexpected turn, just as it did a season ago when the Penguins erased a three-goal lead to force a shootout. On that night, Mason stymied Crosby and Evgeni Malkin on the way to a 4-3 win. Last night's shootout started well enough for Mason as Kris Letang hit the left post with the first shot. The Jackets missed on their first two attempts, setting up Crosby. He made several dekes with Mason deep in the net before settling for a forehand shot that hit the goaltender's stick. Mason saw the puck as it was on the goal line and swiped at it, but it rolled under the heel of his stick. "These are things you have to play through and you will be better for it," Mason said. Hejda updateJackets defenseman Jan Hejda, sidelined since Oct. 13 because of a sprained knee, practiced with the team yesterday. Hejda is expected to return to the lineup Wednesday against San Jose. The Jackets have allowed 31 goals in his seven-game absence. Ring bearerJackets goaltender Mathieu Garon, a member of the Stanley Cup-winning Penguins last season, was presented with his championship ring yesterday. Penguins coach Dan Bylsma gave Garon the 14-karat ring with 167 diamonds. "It's big, huge," Garon said, smiling. "Dan said, 'Congratulations, you deserve it.' He didn't have to say a thing." Slap shotsThe Jackets scratched winger Nikita Filatov The Penguins were without Malkin (shoulder) and fellow forward Tyler Kennedy (undisclosed injury) The Jackets were the last NHL team to play an overtime game this season. Story toolsToday’s Top Stories |
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