Hype for January 11, 2010

After the worst six weeks in franchise history, the Columbus Blue Jackets have had five really good days.

Mathieu Garon made 26 saves for his second shutout of the season, and Raffi Torres and Antoine Vermette scored in the Blue Jackets' 2-0 victory over the Dallas Stars on Sunday night.

All the Tampa Bay Lightning needed to end a 10-game losing streak against the New Jersey Devils was three days, a lighting problem, a two-hour game delay, a side-trip to Philadelphia and half a game Sunday.

The great goaltending by Mike Smith and the two goals by Steven Stamkos didn't hurt, either.

Smith made 33 saves and Stamkos scored once Friday and once Sunday as the Lightning finished off the Devils 4-2 in the completion of a game that was suspended two nights earlier because a lighting problem created a safety issue for the players.

Jonas Hiller is in a class of his own.

On Sunday night, the Anaheim Duck accomplished something no other NHL goaltender can claim this season: he kept the high-octane Blackhawks scoreless for two-plus periods in Chicago.

Hiller came within four minutes 53 seconds of his second shutout of the season, allowing a Duncan Keith power-play goal to put only a slight damper on a 42-save performance in a 3-1 Ducks victory.

The Ottawa Senators were hoping that a trip to Carolina would be just the cure for a three-game losing streak.

Guess again.

Make it four straight defeats after Ottawa fell 4-1 to the NHL-worst Hurricanes on Sunday.