Nash's 6th goal in 6 games lifts Jackets

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ANAHEIM, Calif. – Rick Nash scored for the sixth time in six games, Steve Mason made a season-high 47 saves in his fourth straight start, and the Columbus Blue Jackets improved the best start in franchise history with a 4-3 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Friday night.

Chris Clark and Mike Commodore each had a goal and an assist and Jakub Voracek also scored for the Blue Jackets (11-6). In a span of 10 days, Columbus ended a seven-game winning streak by St. Louis with their most lopsided victory in franchise history, put an end to the Los Angeles Kings' club-record 8-0 start at home, and snapped a five-game home winning streak by the Ducks.

Mason gave up a short-handed goal by Bobby Ryan and a power-play goal by Saku Koivu less than 5 minutes apart early in the second period, and a third-period goal by Corey Perry. But the Ducks lost their fourth straight following a six-game winning streak.

Columbus grabbed a 3-2 lead at 13:48 of the second period on a quick transition play that began when Anaheim rookie Kyle Palmieri fell down just outside the Columbus blue line and tried to sweep the puck into the zone with his hand. Voracek scored his fourth goal from a sharp angle to the right of goalie Jonas Hiller.

Commodore made it 4-2 at 16:56, beating a screened Hiller high to the stick side with a wrist shot from the right point for his first of the season. Perry ended the scoring on a short backhander with 12:38 remaining after a sloppy turnover by Derick Brassard behind the net.

Nash, in his second game after he missed one because of a groin strain, opened the scoring at 11:02 of the first period with his ninth goal.

The Ducks received a two-man advantage with 18 seconds left in the first after defensemen Jan Hejda and Marc Methot were sent off for hooking 11 seconds apart. Koivu capitalized 17 seconds into the second period, converting a perfect return feed from Teemu Selanne at the edge of the crease.

Ryan gave Anaheim a short-lived 2-1 lead at 5:01 of the second with his eighth goal, beating Mason to the stick side on a breakaway after winning a foot race with Nash to a loose puck in the neutral zone. It was Anaheim's first short-handed goal this season and first of Ryan's four-year career.

Teammate Sheldon Brookbank was still serving the extra roughing penalty he received after his fight with Derek Dorsett when the Blue Jackets pulled even 25 seconds after Ryan's goal. Commodore took a slap shot from just inside the blue line and Clark redirected it between Hiller's legs, ending a string of 18 unsuccessful power plays by the Blue Jackets.
 
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