GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) -- Rick Nash's return to the Columbus lineup
has made life easier for Bryan Berard and the rest of the Blue
Jackets' power play.
Berard scored three power-play goals for his first career hat
trick, Sergei Fedorov added four assists and the Blue Jackets beat
the Phoenix Coyotes 5-2 on Sunday night to snap a three-game losing
streak.
"It was just one of those games where we did a good job of
getting the puck back to the point," said Berard, playing in his
third game since spending seven days on injured reserve because of
a sore lower back. "Our power play since we got Nasher back, it's
starting to come together."
Nash had a goal and an assist and Rostislav Klesla also scored
to help the Blue Jackets win for the first time in regulation in 10
trips to Phoenix (1-6-3).
"It's good to get our first win in the desert," said Marc
Denis, who made 32 saves for his eighth win. "What this really
means for us is since Christmas we've been a .500 team on the road.
For our franchise, it's a big turnaround."
Ladislav Nagy and Shane Doan scored for Phoenix. The Coyotes
have lost three straight and eight of their last 12.
"Now we have to answer the same questions about what
happened," Doan said. "Anybody in the dressing room who doesn't
know how important this game was hasn't been paying attention very
much. For us to come out and not find a way to win it is very
disappointing."
Klesla gave Columbus a 1-0 lead at 6:16 of the first period when
he received a pass from Fedorov off a faceoff, took one stride to
his right and fired the puck past Curtis Joseph from the point.
Nagy tied it at 10:27 of the period, but Nash put the Blue
Jackets ahead for good when he took the puck near center ice,
leaped past defenseman Denis Gauthier just inside the blue line and
beat Joseph with a backhand swipe at the puck.
Berard, whose career was nearly ended in 2000 by a serious eye
injury, made it 3-1 with a power-play goal at 15:17 on a hard shot
from the point, with help from a screen by Jaroslav Balastik in
front of the crease.
Doan pulled Phoenix to 3-2 when he tipped a shot by Nagy past
Denis for a power-play goal at 1:39 of the second period.
Berard scored again just under 2 minutes later, making it 4-2 on
the Blue Jackets' ninth shot of the game on a wrist shot from
between the circles.
Berard capped the scoring with 1:45 remaining.
"Right now we're not getting a whole lot out of anybody," said
Coyotes coach Wayne Gretzky. "We're just not getting the job
done."<
Notes: The Coyotes were unbeaten in their last six games against Columbus overall. ... Nash extended his points streak to five games. He has six goals and three assists in that span. ... The Coyotes outshot Columbus 17-2 in the third period. The Blue Jackets' two third-period shots matched a season low. ... The Blue Jackets, last in the NHL on the power play entering the game, scored three times on four opportunities. ... The Coyotes were 1-for-9 on the power play and are 2-for-22 in their last three games. ... Nagy's goal was his second in his last 12 games.