Claude Noel blames his problem with brain cramps on a concussion he suffered during his playing days. To the Blue Jackets players, these momentary short-circuits are known simply as "Claude-isms."

Last night, on the biggest night of his professional career, Noel suffered the mother of all Claude-isms on TV.

Noel was asked by Fox Sports Net to name three ways for hockey players to emerge from scoring slumps.

"The first one was 'Go to the net,' " Noel said. "The second was 'Shoot more often.' And then, right there on camera, I totally forgot No. 3.

"I'm sure the Blue Jackets fans who watched the game at home were thinking: 'And this is the guy were trusting to be our new coach?' "

Noel gets a pass for drawing a blank last night.

On Wednesday, he was named interim coach of the Blue Jackets after Ken Hitchcock was fired.

Noel, 54, slept for just 2 hours on Wednesday night, waking for good at 2:30 a.m.

"I got to the rink around 6:45 or 7 a.m. for our 8 o'clock meetings," Noel said. "I had a lot of work to do to get ready for the day.

"I went home after the morning skate and slept for about an hour, maybe 90 minutes. I was pretty blurry when I got to the rink. I was even worse than usual."

Noel, making his NHL coaching debut, said he was "extremely" nervous as he addressed the players before last night's 2-1 win over the Dallas Stars in Nationwide Arena.

"It was like an out-of-body experience," Noel said.

He introduced a new tradition in the dressing room -- a hard hat, which will be placed on the head of the hardest-working player after every victory, to be worn during media interviews in the dressing room.

"I needed that prop to get through my first pregame talk to the players," Noel said. "I saw one guy with his head down in his hands, and I can't say I blame him."

Noel brought a new approach on the bench, too. Whereas Hitchcock was clearly audible in the seats, Noel was a few decibels quieter.

"It was like play-by-play the whole game," left winger R.J. Umberger said. "I thought he was a commentator. He was positive. He was upbeat."

Rick Nash said it took a few minutes to get adjusted.

"After four years of hearing the exact same thing, it was definitely a change," Nash said.

Noel, who coached in three different minor leagues since 1990-91 before joining the Blue Jackets staff two seasons ago, was in his glory last night.

On Wednesday, he called his 78-year-old mother, Alice, with the news of his hiring.

"She's been crying for two days," Noel said. "She's proud that her son is in the NHL. She's coming to see me soon, too."

Tyutin OK

Defenseman Fedor Tyutin hit the ice in pain just moments after he assisted on Umberger's empty-net goal with 1:08 remaining.

It looked like a potentially serious injury, as Tyutin needed help getting off the ice.

"I took a puck right here," Tyutin said, pointing to a red welt just below his left knee. "It went numb, like somebody pinched a nerve. It's OK now."

Dorsett out

Right winger Derek Dorsett was expecting to face the Stars for the first time since he was concussed by Dallas' James Neal on Nov. 19.

But Dorsett was a late scratch, apparently still bothered by an injury to his left hand.

Slap shots

Noel became the Blue Jackets' sixth coach, following Dave King, Doug MacLean, Gerard Gallant, Gary Agnew (interim) and Hitchcock.

aportzline@dispatch.com