COLUMBUS, Ohio, March 30 (UPI) -- Allen York, making his ninth NHL appearance, took a shutout into the third period Friday and carried the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 4-1 victory over Florida.
York won his second game in as many starts, making 30 saves and keeping Florida off the board until Tomas Kopecky scored with 12:03 left in the contest.
Although Florida went into the night with a four-point lead over Washington at the top of the Southeast Division, the Panthers' playoff position is in doubt because of their recent slump.
Florida has lost five out of six as it tries to cling to what would be its first post-season berth in 12 years.
R.J. Umberger and Nikita Nikitin accounted for all the Columbus scoring. Umberger picked up the only first-period tally and closed out the Blue Jackets' offense with an empty-net goal with 48 seconds to play.
Nikitin scored on the power-play midway through the second period and put a slap shot past Jose Theodore early in the third. Theodore stopped 25 shots.
