http://bluejackets.com/news/press/arts/2748.0.html
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Blue Jackets Recall RW Joe Motzko from Syracuse
Manny Malhotra Placed on IR
COLUMBUS, OHIO - Columbus Blue Jackets President and General Manager Doug MacLean announced today that right wing Joe Motzko has joined the club on emergency recall from the Syracuse Crunch, the club's American Hockey League affiliate. The Blue Jackets also placed center Manny Malhotra on Injured Reserve. Malhotra is out indefinitely due to a shoulder injury suffered in last night's 4-3 shootout win over the NY Islanders.
Motzko, 25, has registered 3-11-14 and 12 penalty minutes in 17 games with Syracuse this season and has 48-73-121 and 122 penalty minutes in 166 career AHL games with the Crunch. Last season, he ranked second on the club in goals and points with 28-38-66 and 72 penalty minutes in 79 games. He made his NHL debut with the Blue Jackets on Feb. 2, 2004 at Phoenix and did not register a point in two games with the club that season.
Originally signed by Columbus as a free agent on May 15, 2003, Motzko played four seasons at St. Cloud State University and collected 52-90-142 and 201 penalty minutes in 154 games from 1999-03. He tallied a career-high 17-25-42 and 59 penalty minutes in 38 games as a senior in 2002-03, leading the Huskies to their fourth consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
The Blue Jackets return to action tonight at the Atlanta Thrashers. Game time is set for 7 p.m. ET, with FSN Ohio's Ice Breaker pregame show starting at 6:30 p.m. The game will also be broadcast live on the Blue Jackets Radio Network and flagship stations WBNS-AM Sports Radio 1460 the Fan and WWCD-FM, CD101.
The Blue Jackets return home for games against the New Jersey Devils on Sunday (Dec. 11) and Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday (Dec. 13). Tickets to all Blue Jackets home games are on sale now and may be purchased at the Nationwide Arena Ticket Office, the Blue Jackets Zones at Chiller Dublin, Chiller Easton, Chiller North, all Ticketmaster ticket centers, by phone at (614) 431-3600 or via the internet at www.BlueJackets.com and ticketmaster.com. For information on full season tickets starting as low as $13 per game, mini-season ticket plans or group tickets, call (800) NHL-COLS.
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http://bluejackets.com/news/press/arts/2747.0.html
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Blue Jackets Look To Win Second Straight Game
Face Atlanta Tonight
Blue Jackets-Thrashers Preview
GAME: Columbus Blue Jackets (8-19-0) at Atlanta Thrashers (10-16-3).
The Atlanta Thrashers hope to improve their special teams and end a season-high, five-game losing streak as they host the Columbus Blue Jackets.
The Thrashers are fifth in the league on the power play, but their effectiveness with the man advantage has been nonexistent during the skid. They have converted just 3-of-29 chances in those five games, and their penalty-killing unit continued its season-long struggle.
Atlanta has allowed nine power-play goals in 31 opportunities during its losing streak, the team's longest since a six-game skid from Jan. 30-Feb. 11, 2004.
Marian Hossa scored two goals in Atlanta's 5-3 defeat Tuesday to the San Jose Sharks. Linemate Ilya Kovalchuk, has not scored a goal during the losing streak - his longest drought of the season - and has just two assists in that span.
Columbus has won three of its last four games after a seven-game losing streak, including a 4-3 shootout victory Thursday over the New York Islanders.
David Vyborny scored the lone shootout goal for the Blue Jackets, who have won all three of their games decided by shootout.
The Blue Jackets may not have center Manny Malhotra for this game. Malhotra, who leads the team with 13 assists, returned to the lineup after missing two games with back spasms, but hurt his shoulder in a second-period fight and is questionable for this game.
Sergei Fedorov scored his first goal of the season and first in nine games since being acquired by the Blue Jackets. The veteran center had three assists in his first eight games with Columbus.
The Blue Jackets scored a season-high three power-play goals, matching their total from the previous six games.
STANDINGS (through Dec. 8): Blue Jackets - 16 points, 4th place, 24 PB, Central Division. Thrashers - 23 points, 3rd place, 15 PB, Southeast Division.
TEAM LEADERS: Blue Jackets - Vyborny, 6 goals; Malhotra, 13 assists; Vyborny and Bryan Berard, 16 points; Jody Shelley, 48 PIM. Thrashers - Kovalchuk, 17 goals; Marc Savard, 27 assists and 38 points; Andy Sutton, 60 PIM.
SPECIAL TEAMS (through Dec. 8): Blue Jackets - Power play: 11.6 percent (18 for 155), 30th in NHL. Penalty killing: 81.2 percent (156 for 192), 22nd. Thrashers - Power play: 20.1 percent (43 for 213), 5th. Penalty killing: 78.3 percent (152 for 194), 28th.
GOALTENDERS: Blue Jackets - Marc Denis (3-11-0, 0 SO, 3.51 GAA); Pascal Leclaire (1-5-0, 0, 3.77). Thrashers - Michael Garnett (3-7-1, 0, 4.09); Adam Berkhoel (2-4-0, 0, 4.08).
2003-04 SEASON SERIES: Tied, 1-1.
LAST MEETING: Nov. 7, 2003; Blue Jackets, 4-2. At Columbus, Ohio, Vyborny and Geoff Sanderson scored 56 seconds apart midway through the first period for the Blue Jackets, who limited the Thrashers to 14 shots.
ROAD/HOME RECORDS: Blue Jackets - 3-11-0 on the road; Thrashers - 5-7-1 at home.
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