NHL: Columbus 2, Los Angeles 1

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Dec. 21 (UPI) -- Nikolai Zherdev put Columbus in front 37 seconds into the third period Friday and the Blue Jackets held on to edge Los Angeles 2-1.

The Kings lost their sixth straight, having been outscored during that stretch 24-10.

Jiri Novotny also scored for Columbus, which had lost its previous two games. Fredrik Norrena saved 33 shots.

The lone goal for Los Angeles came from Mike Cammalleri.

Zherdev got credit for the game-winning goal when a shot by Ron Hainsey deflected off Zherdev and past Jason LaBarbera.

Cammalleri scored the game's first goal, but Novotny tied it with 2:47 left in the second by poking the puck from between LaBarbera's pads and into the net. LaBarbera argued heatedly that the play should have whistled dead because he had gained possession of the puck.