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COLUMBUS, Ohio (Ticker) -- Espen Knutsen and Mike Sillinger each posted four-point nights as the Columbus Blue Jackets snapped a three-game losing streak with a 6-2 triumph over the San Jose Sharks. Knutsen registered his first career hat trick and an assist while Sillinger chipped in two power-play goals and two assists. Knutsen capped his three-goal effort 1:46 into the third period by collecting his own rebound from a point-blank shot off the goalpost and stuffing it past goaltender Mikka Kiprusoff, giving Columbus a commanding 5-1 lead. "The hat trick is like a big, big bonus," Knutsen said. "Usually I'm not a big scorer, so it's just one of those nights. "The bounces were perfect today. It's an awesome feeling with the hats being thrown. I scored a hat trick in Europe once, but never saw any hats." After Knutsen opened the scoring 10:42 into the game, Sillinger doubled the lead with just under five minutes left in the first period. Knutsen put the Blue Jackets up 1-0 with four seconds remaining on a 5-on-3 advantage. The 30-year-old Norwegian collected a rebound of Ray Whitney's slap shot at the left side of the crease and flipped it over starting goalie Evgeni Nabokov. Sillinger gave Columbus its second power-play tally of the night by one-timing Knutsen's pass from the left circle over Nabokov's right shoulder. "We're just getting some breaks and doing right things out there right now on the power play," Sillinger said. "We seem to be on a roll. The guys are moving the puck and creating a lot of chances." "After Todd Harvey's penalty, the next five were either dumb or selfish penalties,' Sharks coach Duane Sutter said. "That's putting it mildly. It just wasn't a very prepared group. It looked like a lot of our older guys ran out of gas early in the game." Stephane Matteau finished off a shorthanded 2-on-1 midway through the second period to cut the deficit to one. But Knutsen scored the eventual game-winner with 5:18 to go in the second to put the Blue Jackets up 3-1 and chase Nabokov. Moments after a 5-on-3 opportunity expired, Grant Marshall poked a loose puck to Knutsen during a goalmouth scramble. Knutsen skated to the slot, turned and shot it over Nabokov's right shoulder. "The coaching staff has been telling me to shoot more," Knutsen said. "It's not easy to change just like that. I think I've been shooting more this year than last year." Ron Tugnutt made 20 saves for his second win in three starts and Tyler Wright had the other goal for Columbus, which lost its previous three games by a combined score of 10-5. The Blue Jackets tied the franchise record for power-play goals, going 4-for-9. "Overall, the power play had a fantastic night and they moved the puck around with a lot of confidence," Tugnutt said. "Our guys did a great job with the puck tonight." Vincent Damphousse also scored a shorthanded goal for San Jose, which lost for just the second time in six games (3-2-1). "The shorthanded goals don't mean much," center Mike Ricci said. "I mean, we got killed tonight, so we don't take much out of this." |
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