Los Angeles Kings center Mike Richards (10) digs the puck out from under Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Steve Mason (1) during the third period at Nationwide Arena. Los Angeles defeated Columbus 4-2. Mandatory Credit: Russell LaBounty-USA TODAY Sports (US PRESSWIRE)

The Jackets controlled the play for the opening period, outshooting the Kings 10-8 and scoring the frame’s only goal. MacKenzie scored his first goal of the season at the 13:02 mark of the period. MacKenzie went hard to the net, and got rewarded as the puck deflected off of his skate and past Jonathan Quick. Fedor Tyutin earned his seventh assist of the season on the play.

A soft goal allowed by Steve Mason early in the second period allowed the flood gates to open. Anze Kopitar backhanded one through the legs of Mason to tie the contest. A few minutes later, Jeff Carter scored his fourth goal of the season to give the Kings the lead. Carter banked the puck off of Tyutin’s skate, and into the goal (It went through Mason’s legs again).

Brassard tied the game less than two minutes after Carter’s go-ahead goal. The 25-year-old backhanded one past Quick’s glove. Brassard essentially took a slap shot with the backhand, which is something you definitely don’t see every day.

The Kings would go on to score two more goals, and ultimately win the game 4-2. Columbus was outshot 31-20, including being outshot 17-2 in the second period.

Notes: 

*Some of the goals Steve Mason allowed could be defined as fluky, but I would define them as deflating. The Blue Jackets had a great first period, but LA seemed to take the lead with relative ease. All in all, Kopitar’s goal was very stoppable.

*Jack Johnson played for over half of the game against the Kings, earning 34:13 of ice time. He played 34:59 against the Red Wings on Saturday.

*Artem Anisimov leads the club with four goals so far.

Columbus will face the Calgary Flames Thursday night at 7:00.

More to come,

Ben Bean

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Dalton Prout (47) and St. Louis Blues right wing Chris Stewart (25) battle for position during the third period at the Scottrade Center. The Blue Jackets defeated the Blues 5-2. Mandatory Credit: Scott Rovak-USA TODAY Sports (US PRESSWIRE)

The 2-4-1 Blue Jackets will face the 5-1-0 St. Louis Blues Thursday night at Nationwide Arena. The Jackets are coming off a tough 3-2 loss to the Minnesota Wild. St. Louis has won three straight.

Notes: 

*The Jackets have called up Jonathan Audy-Marchessault from the AHL. He is third in the American Hockey League in scoring with 45 points (16G, 29A). Justin Schultz and Jordan Eberle are ahead of him, but they are currently both up with the Edmonton Oilers.

*Defensemen Adrian Aucoin and Nikita Nikitin will both be out of the lineup with injuries.

*Brian Elliott will get the nod in goal for the Blues. Sergei Bobrovsky will most likely start for the Blue Jackets, especially after another losing effort from Steve Mason on Tuesday (he is 0-3).

*This will be the third game in four nights for Columbus, while the Blues haven’t played a game since Sunday.

*Last season, St. Louis went 4-2 against the Blue Jackets.

Bobrovsky is going to need to play another strong game for Columbus to stay in the game. St. Louis doesn’t allow opposing teams to get many (if any) quality scoring chances, so defense will be very important. The Jackets played very well against the Chicago Blackhawks, and they will need the same effort to stay with the Blues.