Eurolanche

Blue Jackets blank Avalanche 2-0

The Blue Jackets, who have the worst record in the NHL, handed the Avalanche what could prove to be a most damaging 2-0 loss Thursday night at the Pepsi Center, preventing the Avs from moving into the eighth and final playoff position in the Western Conference.

With 17 games remaining, the Avalanche remain tied with Los Angeles with 70 points apiece. The Dallas Stars, who have 71 points, and Kings have each played one fewer game.

The Avalanche had outscored opponents 17-5 during a four-game winning streak and won nine of the previous 10 meetings against the Blue Jackets, including a 5-0 win in Columbus last Friday. The Blue Jackets had been outscored 14-5 during a three-game losing streak and won just seven of their previous 31 road games.

Columbus goalie Steve Mason stopped 31 shots for his first shutout of the season and 19th of his NHL career.

Avalanche rookie Stefan Elliott nearly ruined the shutout bid when he cranked a shot from the right circle that struck the goal post with 2:34 remaining. Colorado also went on a 6-on-4 power play with 1:38 to go but couldn't score.

The Blue Jackets frustrated Avalanche players in the first two periods, clogging up the neutral zone, knocking pucks off their sticks and hemming them in their own end.

Meanwhile, the Jackets got a goal from a defenseman in each of the first two periods to grab a 2-0 lead.

Nikita Nikitin fired a shot from the right point past goalie Semyon Varlamov at 12:53 of the first period, just 31 seconds into a power play after Avalanche rookie Gabriel Landeskog went off for holding Rick Nash.

The Avalanche's Jamie McGinn, playing his first game since his Monday trade from San Jose, was penalized for holding defenseman Jack Johnson behind the Blue Jackets net a little over a minute after Nikitin scored, but Columbus couldn't take advantage.

Fedor Tyutin made it 2-0 with a shot from high in the left circle that eluded Varlamov low to the short side at 15:11 of the second period for his fifth goal of the season and first point in eight games.

Thirty seconds later, a frustrated Landeskog fought with Johnson. A little over a minute after that, Colorado's Cody McLeod and Columbus' Derek Dorsett nearly came to blows and were sent off for unsportsmanlike conduct.

In an attempt to get his offense going, Avalanche coach Joe Sacco switched right wings Milan Hejduk and Peter Mueller. Hejduk began the game on a line with Matt Duchene and Paul Stastny, with Mueller starting the contest with McLeod and Jay McClement. Hejduk and Mueller traded places in the second period.

-by Rick Sadowski for NHL.com-