Murray Wants History to Wait

The headline in the Columbus Dispatch on Sunday read “Making History!” and it led off a section about the city’s entry into major league sports.

The Blue Jackets had played their first game, a 5-3 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks that is going to be the first of many.

There was the first faceoff, the first penalty, the first shot, the first goal--by winger Bruce Gardiner at 7:34 of the first period--and any other first that could be conjured up by an imaginative sports staff.

There remains one first yet to be called upon, and King Coach Andy Murray is fervent in his desire that it not be used in Tuesday’s paper:

First Blue Jacket victory.

He figures it shouldn’t.

“I’ll do what I did last year, and that’s put up their lineup and put up our lineup, and I want them to tell me how they beat us if we play our game,” Murray said. “They shouldn’t.”

True enough, but the Nashville Predators shouldn’t have won three of four against the Kings in their first year.

“Columbus is going to beat some teams,” said Murray, who had seen a scouting report of the Blue Jackets. “The biggest fear you can have is coming out worried about being embarrassed [against them]. You can’t be so fearful of losing that it affects your play.”

Tonight

at Columbus, 4 PDT

* Site--Nationwide Arena.

* Radio--KRLA (1110).

* Records--Kings 1-1-0-0, Blue Jackets 0-1-0-0.

* Update--In their opening game, the Blue Jackets got goals from Bruce Gardiner, David Vyborny and Steve Heinze within 1:46 of the opening period, and this NHL stuff looked pretty easy. Then the real world came into play and the Chicago Blackhawks finished off a 5-3 victory over goalie Ron Tugnutt, who signed with the Blue Jackets as a free agent in the off-season. Jamie Storr returns in net for the Kings, making his third consecutive start.