Rick Nash's moves often inspire awe. Last night in a shootout, they produced chuckles around the
Blue Jackets' locker room.
Nash ended the game with an off-balance shot that fooled Anaheim Ducks goaltender Jean-Sebastien
Giguere in a 3-2 win.
The Blue Jackets captain caught a skate in a rut as he approached Giguere. Nash's left foot
kicked forward, but he somehow managed to take a high shot that just went under the crossbar. The
Jackets won the shootout 2-0.
"I lost my balance so bad that I had nothing else to do but shoot," said Nash, who also scored
his team-leading 13th goal in the first period on a partial breakaway.
Nash has not had a productive career in the shootout, converting 13 of 37 attempts, according to
NHLShootouts.com. It's unlikely he will try that move again -- although his teammates might.
"I'm sure we are going to practice that in practice," center Antoine Vermette said.
Coach Ken Hitchcock smiled at the thought of his star's rare stumble.
"It will be up on the video right away," Hitchcock said. "I thought he was going to fall
down."
Dorsett OK
Forward Derek Dorsett was struck with a Ryan Whitney slap shot early in the third period.
The puck hit Dorsett in the hand or midsection. He did not return, but Hitchcock believes
Dorsett escaped serious injury.
Goalie matters
Hitchcock said he will wait to decide whether to start goaltender Mathieu Garon or Steve Mason
on Monday when the Blue Jackets play host to the Edmonton Oilers.
The plan as of yesterday morning was to start Mason. That could change after Garon's performance
against the Ducks.
Hitchcock said the decision to start Garon last night was based on the gaps in the upcoming
schedule.
The Jackets play just three times in the next nine days.
Commodore out
Defenseman Mike Commodore sat out because of conditioning issues. A combination of illness and
injuries has limited Commodore to seven games and affected his energy and endurance.
Commodore, 30, visited a doctor yesterday and had blood work done as a precautionary measure. He
hopes to play Monday.
"Commie is not in game condition," Hitchcock said. "He will have three hard days of work to get
him back up to speed. He starts games well, and then halfway through the game, he fades badly.
"When you are out there in the last half of games surviving, you are not going to be
effective."
Commodore has missed time because of the flu, a groin pull and a charley horse.
He skated for 40 minutes after practice yesterday under the watch of assistant coach Gord
Murphy.
Slap shots
The Jackets placed winger Raffi Torres on the injured reserve list retroactive to Wednesday. He
suffered a broken upper jaw bone that night after getting hit by a puck. Center Sammy Pahlsson
missed his second straight game after a bursa sac in his elbow was drained.
treed@dispatch.com
