Blue Jackets finish weekend sweep of Red Wings

Red Wings lose back-to-back against Columbus.

3/11/2013
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Sergei Bobrovsky celebrates after stopping a shot by the Red Wings' Henrik Zetterberg during a shootout Sunday in Detroit. Columbus won 3-2 in a shootout. Bobrovsky made 20 saves for the Blue Jackets, who are 5-0-2 in their last seven games after getting only 12 points in their first 19.
Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Sergei Bobrovsky celebrates after stopping a shot by the Red Wings' Henrik Zetterberg during a shootout Sunday in Detroit. Columbus won 3-2 in a shootout. Bobrovsky made 20 saves for the Blue Jackets, who are 5-0-2 in their last seven games after getting only 12 points in their first 19.

DETROIT — The Columbus Blue Jackets are on a roll at the expense of the Detroit Red Wings.

Ryan Johansen and Matt Calvert scored in the shootout, and the streaking Blue Jackets beat the Red Wings 3-2 on Sunday to complete a home-and-home sweep.

Derick Brassard and R.J. Umberger had goals in regulation, and Sergei Bobrovsky made 20 saves through overtime for Columbus, which has won five straight. The Blue Jackets topped the Red Wings 3-0 in Columbus on Saturday.

The Blue Jackets are 5-0-2 in their last seven games after getting only 12 points in their first 19.

"Guys are working really hard," Blue Jackets coach Todd Richards said. "They earned all the points that we've gotten over the past six, seven games or whatever it is."

Four of the five wins in their streak have come either in overtime or a shootout.

Columbus went 4-0-1 in the season series with Detroit.

"They've been giving it to us. It's great to come back strong," Brassard said.

It will likely be the last divisional game between the teams because of the NHL's proposed realignment plan that could be in effect next season. Both the Blue Jackets and Red Wings would move to the Eastern Conference but to different divisions.

Jakub Kindl and Johan Franzen scored for Detroit in regulation, and Jimmy Howard stopped 19 shots. Pavel Datsyuk scored the Red Wings' only goal in the shootout.

"It definitely is frustrating we couldn't pick up the second point there, but on the bright side we still got one," Howard said. "They're tough. They play a tough style. They dump the puck in and then they all fall back in their own zone. All five of them are just standing there in front of the net, and it's tough to get pucks through."

Franzen tied it 2-2 with a 5-on-3, power-play goal 25 seconds into the third period. Franzen fired a one-timer from the inside edge of the right circle off a pass from Damien Brunner for his fifth goal.

Johansen was already in the penalty box for slashing when on the ensuing faceoff, Umberger handled the puck with his hand in the final minute of the second period.

"If you give them, with their skill players, that much time on a 5-on-3, they're going to capitalize," Johansen said.

The first three goals of the game were scored in a 1:15 span early in the second period, and the Blue Jackets held a 2-1 lead after the flurry.

Brassard opened the scoring 3:10 into the second when he beat Howard with a slap shot from the top of the right circle for his fourth goal. Kindl tied it with his third goal 30 seconds later when he beat Bobrovsky from just above the high slot with a slap shot.

Umberger capitalized on Zetterberg's turnover and ripped a slap shot past Howard from the top of the right circle to give Columbus the lead. It was Umberger's fifth goal.

NOTES: Detroit D Ian White returned to the lineup after being a healthy scratch the previous six games. He replaced rookie Brian Lashoff, who was a healthy scratch. ... Detroit forward Valtteri Filppula missed his seventh game due to a shoulder injury.