Nash is big hope for Ohio ice team

COLUMBUS -- Meet Ohio's other teen-age all-star in the making.
Rick Nash, the second-year left wing for the Columbus Blue Jackets, is the Ohio team's National Hockey League beacon of hope.
As Nash, the league's top draft pick in 2002, gains experience, the 6-foot-4-inch native of Brampton, Ontario, has the potential to become as valuable to his team in the long term as Steve Yzerman and Mike Modano have been to the Detroit Red Wings and Dallas Stars, respectively.
While the 19-year-old Nash is the fourth-year expansion team's future, the present includes defenseman Darryl Sydor (a Stanley Cup winner with Dallas who came to Columbus in a three-way trade in July) and center Todd Marchant, a speedy wing with Edmonton who signed as a free agent.
Struggling offensively
After a 3-1 start ignited optimism and increased the pressure to make the playoffs, the Blue Jackets are struggling to find the net. And like most teams limited in experience, the Blue Jackets have discovered how costly mistakes can be.
With 3 minutes, 48 seconds remaining in a game last Thursday at Nationwide Arena, Tampa Bay's Vincent Lecavalier broke a scoreless tie by netting a wraparound goal after stealing the puck from goaltender Marc Denis.
"It's frustrating, but you can't get discouraged," Sydor said. "You have to try and stay positive. There are going to be growing pains."
Victim of rally
Saturday, the Blue Jackets had a 2-1 third-period lead against Sydor's former team, then lost 3-2 when the Stars scored twice in the final seven minutes. Rob DiMaio's game-winner came with 2:24 to go.
"Everyone's disappointed because we can't be losing the two points like that," said Nash after scoring the game's first goal, his fifth of the season. "We should be disappointed -- we had this game right in our hands. We're going to need those points.
"I don't want to bring back any curses [but] that was a lot like last year when we had the games late and [opponents] would come back," Nash said. "We've got to think, 'that's the last time that's going to happen.' We have to make that the difference this year."
That attitude is a refreshing change. In the Blue Jackets' first three seasons, losing was expected.
This year, it's something to be avoided, especially after Minnesota, which came into the league at the same time as the Blue Jackets, advanced to the Western Conference finals last spring.
"Sometimes, we still make mistakes late in the game and it costs us some points," said left winger Andrej Nedorost, who scored Columbus' second goal.
Popular Jersey
While determining just how good the Blue Jackets are remains a mystery, there's no doubt about how popular the jackets' new alternate jersey is with fans. Hundreds wore them at Saturday's game. Nash's No. 61 appeared to be the bestseller.
In the two weeks after the debut of the new alternate logo, the Blue Jackets sold approximately 2,000 jerseys, according to Marc Gregory, the Cardinal Mooney High graduate who is the team's director of advertising and promotions.
The alternate logo wraps the Ohio flag around a star and pays homage to the state's contributions to American history, primarily the Civil War era. The team's new secondary logo contains a blue Union Army cap with two crossed hockey sticks. The traditional lace-up front is reminiscent of the NHL's Original Six era.
Perfect fit for city
The new design is a perfect fit for a city that prides itself on being the state capital and home of college football's defending national champions.
Buckeyes fans attending Ohio State's home games on Nov. 8 (Michigan State) and Purdue (Nov. 15) are advised that the Blue Jackets are home on the Friday nights before those games. If you're going early and looking for something to do, check out the arena district.
XTom Williams is a sportswriter for The Vindicator. Write to him at williams@vindy.com.