'Jackets reverse a trend, top Blues

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Once again the Columbus Blue Jackets watched a goal slide into the net in the final minute. For a change, it was good news.

David Vyborny scored while falling to the ice with 47.7 seconds left as the Blue Jackets beat the Blues 3-2 Wednesday night.

The Blue Jackets have lost three games in the final 35 seconds and another in overtime when they had a lead with just over a minute left in regulation.

"I think they're tired of seeing it on TV, hearing it on the radio and reading it in the newspapers, so they did something about it," Columbus coach Dave King said.

Ray Whitney set up the goal, stealing a pass from Martin Rucinsky near the blue line. Whitney circled back into the offensive zone and dropped a backhanded pass to Vyborny in the slot. Vyborny, shadowed by Rucinsky, was able to get off a one-timer that beat goaltender Tom Barrasso high on the glove side.

"It was a terrible giveaway and a terrible goal," St. Louis coach Joel Quennevile said. "Who knows what happens in OT. But you can't make that play at that stage of the game."

King called a timeout with a minute left and told the Blue Jackets -- who were winless in their last four (0-2-1-1) -- to continue attacking.

"Kinger said to continue to press on and to continue to forecheck and not to sit back, which is what's been causing us some problems," said Whitney, who had two assists. "To this point in the season we're losing games late, losing leads and things like that ... We wanted to go for the win rather than sit back and wait, wait, wait."

Vyborny's goal was his first in a month.

"It's a big win for us. It's good for me, too -- it's good for my confidence," Vyborny said. "We need to win games in the last minute because we've lost so many."

Marc Denis stopped 27 shots after Pavol Demitra scored on the Blues' first shot just 16 seconds in -- the fastest goal ever scored against Columbus.

The Blues have lost three of four and four of six.

Barret Jackman carried the puck up the left wing and passed to Tyson Nash, whose shot on Denis bounced back to Nash. Nash reloaded, and his pass through the crease glanced off the skate of a Columbus defender and right to Demitra, who netted his third goal of the season.

The Blue Jackets pulled even late in the period on the power play. Rookie Rick Nash took a pass from Rostislav Klesla at the left of the net and fired a pass through the slot to Mike Sillinger for his fourth goal.

Columbus went ahead 2-1 when Grant Marshall redirected Whitney's slap shot 3:54 into the third period.

St. Louis pulled even with 6:40 remaining when Al MacInnis scored his fifth on a one-timer from the right dot to set the stage for the fast finish.

"It's easy to point the finger at one turnover," MacInnis said. "But at the same time we need a little bit more from everybody."

The win offered some redemption to the Blue Jackets.

"It feels good," Whitney said. "If we could do it like four more times to equal up how many times we've given one up, we'll feel a lot better."