Blue Jackets fire Coach Ken Hitchcock

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Feb. 3 (UPI) -- The NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets fired Coach Ken Hitchcock Wednesday following six losses in the team's last 10 games.

Hitchcock guided Columbus to its first-ever post-season berth last season, but the team had a 22-27-9 record and was in last place in the Western Conference's Central Division when he was canned.

"This season has been very disappointing for the Blue Jackets organization and our fans and the responsibility for that rests with all of us from management to the coaches and players," General Manager Scott Howson said on the team's Web site. "Hitch worked tirelessly to build an identity for this team that was missing before he arrived and deserves a great deal of credit for those efforts (but) it has become apparent that change is in the best interest of our organization."

Columbus made assistant Claude Noel the interim head coach.