Blackhawks  5    Blue Jackets  4

Chicago Blackhawks (40-15-5) at Columbus Blue Jackets (25-28-9), 5 p.m.

Sports Network | February 14, 2010

(Sports Network) - After failing to secure their first four-game winning streak of the season, the Columbus Blue Jackets shoot for their first win in four meetings with the Chicago Blackhawks this evening at Nationwide Arena.

The Blue Jackets had won three straight since firing Ken Hitchcock as head coach and replacing him with Claude Noel on an interim basis on February 3. That included a span of back-to-back shutouts over Buffalo and San Jose prior to Friday night's 4-3 loss to Vancouver.

Steve Mason had been in net for all three wins, but would probably like to have the game-winning goal by the Canucks back. Vancouver's Mikael Samuelsson potted his team's second goal of the third period 7:56 into the frame on a fluke goal, as he wristed a shot from the high slot that a Columbus player got a stick on.

The puck was popped high into the air and floated over a stunned Mason, who had already committed to the butterfly. Mason made 31 saves in the loss.

Rick Nash scored 22 seconds into the game, his team-leading 27th goal that gives him three goals and three assists on a six-game point streak. Jared Boll scored to snap a 36-game goal drought and Raffi Torres also tallied.

"I thought the game was an entertaining game," Noel said. "From my standpoint, I thought we played really well in some areas. I really liked a lot of things that we did. I liked the way we managed the game. The other thing I liked was our effort. Our effort was real good."

Columbus fell to 3-1 on a six-game homestand that ends on March 2 versus Vancouver. The Blue Jackets are also 10 points back of a playoff spot in the Western Conference.

They'll try to snap a three-game skid to the Blackhawks, a rut that includes a home-and-home sweep on January 14 and 16. Chicago notched a 6-5 win at Columbus to cap the set, getting a pair of power-play goals in the third period by Jonathan Toews, as well as three assists from Patrick Kane.

Nash scored twice for Columbus, which has lost seven of its last 10 to Chicago and three of the last four played in Ohio.

The Blackhawks have won three straight since a season-worst three-game slide, besting Atlanta, 5-4, in a shootout last night. Dave Bolland scored in the third period and Toews had the lone shootout goal to seal the win.

"Teams are going to come into this building with a lot of energy and lots of enthusiasm. We can't expect to just walk all over teams...we have to keep that effort consistent," said Toews, as Chicago gave up three second-period goals to fall behind.

Patrick Sharp had a goal and two assists, Marian Hossa netted his NHL-leading fifth short-handed goal of the year and Kim Johnsson scored in his Chicago debut after being acquired from Minnesota along with prospect Nick Leddy on Friday for Cam Barker.

Hossa, though, received a hard check in the third period on Saturday and is unlikely to play this evening. He is also one of six Chicago players slated to participate in the Winter Olympics.

Antti Niemi made 23 saves for the Blackhawks, who trail the Sharks by four points for the most in the Western Conference.