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Associated Press

After a frustrating night in a building where they have never won a game in regulation, the Columbus Blue Jackets now can turn their attention to playing in an arena where they enjoyed nothing but success last season.

The Blue Jackets look to put the memory of a tough loss to the league's best team behind them when they visit the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday.

Columbus (11-11-3) opened a three-game road trip with a 3-2 loss to San Jose on Thursday. The Blue Jackets held a 31-22 edge in shots and took a first-period lead on Rick Nash's goal, but fell to 0-2 against the NHL-leading Sharks this season and 1-13-2 all-time in San Jose.

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"Our guys played a real good 60 minutes, and we deserved a better fate," said goalie Steve Mason, who made 19 saves. "We kept the pressure on them the entire time. The first time we came here (on Oct. 14), we put the pressure on them, and that was our goal coming in. Our guys deserved the win."

The Blue Jackets have been very competitive in their last two road games - both against top contenders - but have nothing to show for their efforts. They fell 5-3 in Detroit on Nov. 28, when they yielded the go-ahead goal with two minutes left in the third period.

Columbus won't be facing as strong an opponent Saturday, as it looks to duplicate its strong play at Staples Center last season. The Blue Jackets won twice in Los Angeles to snap a five-game losing streak there and went 3-0-1 overall in 2007-08 against the Kings (10-11-4).

The Blue Jackets, though, continue to struggle on the power play. Their 9.9 percent conversion rate with the man advantage is the worst in the NHL.

Los Angeles lost its third straight on Friday, 5-4 in a shootout to Edmonton. The Kings, who led 4-3 after two periods, have taken a lead into the third period in their last three games, only to come up with just one point out of a possible six.

They have been outscored 7-0 in their last three third periods.

Jason LaBarbera took the loss Friday, entering after Erik Ersberg allowed three goals in the first period. It is unclear who will start Saturday for the Kings, who are 1-4 in the second half of back-to-back games.

"First period, the goaltender was changed because the goaltender wasn't good enough," Los Angeles coach Terry Murray said. "Ersberg wasn't good enough."

Alexander Frolov and Michal Handzus each had a goal and an assist during the Kings' four-goal second period Friday. Frolov, who had been benched in the third period of Tuesday's 4-2 loss at Phoenix for a mistake that led to a Coyotes rally, did not register a point in last season's four games against Columbus.




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STANDINGS

WESTERN CONFERENCE
  TEAM GP W L OT GF GA PTS
1 p - CHI 48 36 7 5 155 102 77
2 y - ANA 48 30 12 6 140 118 66
3 y - VAN 48 26 15 7 127 121 59
4 x - STL 48 29 17 2 129 115 60
5 x - LAK 48 27 16 5 133 118 59
6 x - SJS 48 25 16 7 124 116 57
7 x - DET 48 24 16 8 124 115 56
8 x - MIN 48 26 19 3 122 127 55
9 CBJ 48 24 17 7 120 119 55
10 PHX 48 21 18 9 125 131 51
11 DAL 48 22 22 4 130 142 48
12 EDM 48 19 22 7 125 134 45
13 CGY 48 19 25 4 128 160 42
14 NSH 48 16 23 9 111 139 41
15 COL 48 16 25 7 116 152 39

STATS

2012-2013 REGULAR SEASON
SKATERS: GP G A +/- Pts
V. Prospal 48 12 18 3 30
M. Letestu 46 13 14 7 27
M. Gaborik 47 12 15 -3 27
F. Tyutin 48 4 18 9 22
B. Dubinsky 29 2 18 2 20
N. Foligno 45 6 13 6 19
J. Johnson 44 5 14 -5 19
A. Anisimov 35 11 7 -6 18
C. Atkinson 35 9 9 9 18
R. Umberger 48 8 10 3 18
 
GOALIES: W L OT Sv% GAA
S. Bobrovsky 21 11 6 .932 2.00
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