Stars drop Blue Jackets in OT, 6-5

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

DALLAS — The Blue Jackets and Dallas Stars traded goals and blows last night in the American Airlines Center, a highly entertaining, disjointed and violent game that ended with a 6-5 Stars shootout victory before an announced crowd of 16,281.

Mike Ribeiro scored the shootout winner for Dallas in the third round.

R.J. Umberger had a goal and two assists for the Blue Jackets, and Rick Nash, Kristian Huselius and Derick Brassard also scored.

Brassard also made the worst decision of his young career with 4:09 left in the first period, taking exception to a hit by James Neal on Jackets defenseman Fedor Tyutin and challenging Neal to a fight.

It went horribly wrong for Brassard, who took two heavy rights to the face, asked Neal to stop fighting and skated immediately to the dressing room.

He did not return.

General manager Scott Howson said Brassard suffered a right shoulder injury and would be evaluated today.

It’s not the same shoulder he had surgically repaired two seasons ago.

The fight seemed to ignite a fuse on both benches.

Two seconds later, Jared Boll and Dallas’ Krys Barch had the follow-up bout to their season-opening fight, a lengthy tangle that ended so poorly for Boll.

Midway through the second period, Neal enticed Commodore into a fight on the far end of the ice, even though the Blue Jackets had a 3-on-2 on the other end. Commodore won the fight.

In between the mayhem, hard checks and cheap shots, the game was highlighted for horrible goaltending.