Wild blow 2-0 lead and lose to Bluejackets 4-2

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Columbus captain Rick Nash shined in his return to the lineup, scoring twice in the third period, as the Blue Jackets netted four unanswered goals to upend the Minnesota Wild, 4-2, at Nationwide Arena.

Nash, who had missed four games with a lower-body injury and the flu, tallied on a breakaway 27 seconds after defenseman Kris Russell tied the game at two.

Kristian Huselius registered a goal and an assist for Columbus, which has won four of its last five games. Mathieu Garon stopped 18 shots in the win.

Mikko Koivu and Chuck Kobasew lit the lamp for Minnesota, losers in six of its last nine games. The Wild are seven points out of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Wild goaltender Josh Harding, starting his sixth straight game in place of Niklas Backstrom, made 28 saves after being pulled in Thursday's 5-0 loss at Nashville. Backstrom continues battle a groin injury.

Columbus drew even when Russell one-timed a Huselius pass at 11:02 behind Harding, who felt he was bumped by R.J. Umberger.

Nash slipped a backhander between the legs of Harding to give Columbus the lead, and sealed the win inside the final minute with his team-leading 30th red light of the season.

Minnesota capitalized on a misplay by the Blue Jackets in their own zone to grab a 1-0 lead at 10:28 of the first period.

Wild right winger Antti Miettinen grabbed an errant pass by Columbus' Jakub Voracek, wheeled around in the slot and fired a shot off the left post. Koivu jumped on the loose puck and fired it home for his 20th goal of the season, tying his career high set in 2006-07 and matched last year.

Kobasew crashed the crease and chipped a Casey Wellman centering feed into the net at 2:42 of the middle stanza for a 2-0 Minnesota lead. Wellman, a two-year standout at the University of Massachusetts, was appearing in his first NHL contest after signing an entry-level contract earlier in the week.

Tags: mn sports, proam, hockey, wild