Columbus Blue Jackets forward R.J. Umberger scores a goal against Edmonton Oilers goaltender Devan Dubnyk in Edmonton, January 7, 2010.DAN RIEDLHUBER
Kristian Huselius and R.J. Umberger had a goal and an assist apiece as the Columbus Blue Jackets stopped a four-game losing skid with a 4-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday night.
Antoine Vermette and Jan Hejda also scored for the Blue Jackets (16-20-9) who had lost 13 of their last 14 and ended a franchise-record 13-game road losing streak.
Fernando Pisani and Sam Gagner replied for the Oilers (16-23-5) who have lost four in a row and 11 of their last 12.
Columbus is now four points ahead of last-place Edmonton in the Western Conference.
After a ponderous start to the game, the two teams finally got things going with three minutes left in the first period, trading goals just 19 seconds apart.
Columbus got on the board first as Rick Nash bounced a pas from behind the goal-line off of Huselius to Umberger in front and his no-look backhand shot beat Edmonton goalie Devan Dubnyk.
The Oilers responded quickly. Pisani took a bouncing puck away from Blue Jackets defender Kris Russell and scored his first of the season glove-side past Columbus starter Mathieu Garon to make it 1-1 after the first period.
The game slowed down to a snail's pace once again to start the second, with no good chances until late in the middle frame.
Edmonton came close to taking the lead with two minutes remaining as Shawn Horcoff tried to stuff a puck in off of Garon's skate, but Fedor Tutin dove into the net and swatted the puck out of harm's way.
Less than a minute later, the Blue Jackets went up 2-1 as Raffi Torres chipped a pass to Vermette in the slot and he blew a shot over Dubnyk's shoulder.
The Oilers tied the game 1:36 into the period when Denis Grebeshkov passed to Gagner at the side of the net, and the Edmonton forward sent a shot through Garon's legs.
Columbus regained the lead two minutes later on the power play as Huselius corralled a big rebound and wired home a goal from a poor angle to make it 3-2.
The Blue Jackets made it a two-goal game with just over eight minutes to play as a Hejda blast from the point changed directions and went in off of the skate of Oiler Patrick O'Sullivan.
The Blue Jackets are in Calgary on Friday night while the Oilers are off until Tuesday when they play host to Nashville.
Notes: It was the third of four meetings between the two teams this season. They split their earlier two games... Former Oiler Mathieu Garon has started all three games in net for Columbus this year against Edmonton... Devan Dubnyk made his second career NHL start for Edmonton. In his first game he allowed seven goals in a loss to St. Louis. Jeff Deslauriers has started 21 of 22 games since the team lost Nikolai Khabibulin (back) on Nov. 16.... Edmonton defenceman Steve Staios was able to play despite leaving the Oilers last game after taking a shot to the knee. Fellow blue-liner Lubomir Visnovsky missed his third game with an ankle injury... Columbus wingers Alexandre Picard (undisclosed injury) and Raffi Torres (flu) returned to the lineup after missing the Jackets last game against Vancouver... Leading the Blue Jackets with 19 goals, captain Rick Nash has now gone seven games without scoring... Oiler forward Shawn Horcoff played his 600th career NHL game.