COLUMBUS, Ohio - While Artem Anisimov has found another level of play, the Blue Jackets are still trying to find how to keep the pressure on as they chase a playoff spot. Anisimov scored twice, including a late insurance goal, as Columbus held off a third-period Dallas rally for a 4-2 win over the Dallas Stars. "Right now might be as good as weve seen him play in a Columbus uniform," Blue Jackets coach Todd Richards said of Anisimov, who has scored five times in the last four games. "Two huge goals for us, especially the last one with the way the game was going." Columbus dug in for its third straight win to climb into a tie for seventh with the Rangers in the Eastern Conference. "Bobs (Sergei Bobrovsky) our last line of defence and its a great last line to have," Richards said. "But as a young team going forward and playing with leads, a 3-0 lead, thats where you want to continue to go after teams." The Blue Jackets are vying for only their second post-season appearance since joining the league in 2000. Columbus scored on the first shot of the game and bolted ahead on first-period goals by Boone Jenner, R.J. Umberger and Anisimov against backup Dan Ellis. Ellis was shaky early in making his first appearance since Feb. 1. "Its not easy," Dallas coach Lindy Ruff said of his goalies long layoff. "I kind of felt for him. The first shot got by him and I think that maybe rattled him a little bit." At the other end, Bobrovsky finished with 31 saves, one on an open shot by Jamie Benn with 5 minutes left with the Blue Jackets clinging to a one-goal lead. Bobrovsky nimbly tracked loose pucks and shots from near the crease all game to improve to 5-0-1 against Dallas. Defencemen Alex Goligoski and Trevor Daley had goals early in the third period for the Stars. With the loss, Dallas, which had won five of seven, still sits in eighth place in the Western Conference. Leading 3-0 entering the final period, Columbus seemed in control even though it had been drastically outshot since taking the big lead near the midpoint of the first. But the Stars finally broke through, scoring about two minutes apart. Goligoski fired home a rebound on the power play from near the crease, his fourth goal and second in as many games after a 48-game drought. Daley followed with his fifth on a redirection from between the circles off a soft point shot by Sergei Gonchar. "Sometimes you are going to get hit with some adversity," Ruff said of his teams slow start. "We were knocking on the door and we had a couple of good opportunities." Dallas kept coming, but Anisimov all but ended it with his 18th at 15:53 on a backhander after circling toward the crease from behind the net with Goligoski on his back. "We wanted to start fast," Umberger said. "We were prepared for a fast game. They get up and down the ice pretty quick. The first period definitely was the reason we won tonight. Bob held the fort for us the rest of the game." The Blue Jackets benefited from one stick-handling flub after another by Dallas defensive corps in the first period. With a fill head of steam, Jenner sent a long snap shot from the left circle into the far corner above Ellis outstretched glove for his 11th. Then the miscues. Aaron Rome then swept the puck off Brandon Dubinskys stick in the slot to a streaking Umberger, who scored his 17th. Just over four minutes later, the Stars Jordie Benn cleared the puck into traffic to teammate Cody Eakin, who bobbled it back toward the net to Anisimov. The big centre turned and sent a backhander past Ellis to make it 3-0. "Hes just stepping up and making big plays," Umberger said of Anisimov. "You can see hes capable, hes confident right now. Hes strong on the puck." The Stars outshot Columbus 12-1 in the second period but didnt have many prime scoring chances other than two by Tyler Seguin on a power play that Bobrovsky smothered. "We had a good first and the second wasnt our strongest period," Jenner said. "I thought we did a good job in the intermission of regrouping, knowing we still had the lead. I thought we had good desperation in the third." Notes: The Stars traded injured D Stephane Robidas to the Ducks on Tuesday for a conditional fourth-round pick. ... Columbus played without injured defencemen Fedor Tyutin and Ryan Murray, both out with lower-body injuries. ... Dallas entered 16-5-3 against the Blue Jackets in Nationwide Arena. ... Dallas C Rich Peverley did not play due to an upper-body injury. ... Stars LW Antoine Roussel become the fourth player from France to appear in at least 100 NHL games. Derek Holland Jersey . 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Lions WR Calvin Johnson (6 REC, 101 YDS, 1 TD, 10 targets) leads receivers with 1,299 yards and 12 touchdowns, though his 118.1 receiving yards per game ranks second behind Clevelands Josh Gordon. Gordon (10 REC, 261 YDS, 2 TD, 15 targets) is emerging as a superstar, putting up huge numbers even with Jason Campbell and Brandon Weeden at quarterback.SEATTLE - Eventually, the paths of Green Bay and Seattle were going to cross again.After they opened the 2014 NFL season in early September, it seemed inevitable that Aaron Rodgers would get a second chance to throw at Richard Sherman — if he wanted to. That Russell Wilson would have to avoid Clay Matthews trying to chase him down. And that the Packers would get another opportunity to topple Seattle and be the elite of the NFC.They were the two best teams in the conference in the second half of the regular season. So its only fitting the Packers and Seahawks meet Sunday for the NFC championship and a trip to the Super Bowl.Its just the way it should be. It should be just like that right now, Seattle coach Pete Carroll said.Dont be mistaken by their recent prowess, this wasnt a smooth ride for either franchise. Whether it was Rodgers telling Packers fans to R-E-L-A-X early in the season, or Seattle dealing with the expectations of being a Super Bowl champion, along with the stunning midseason trade of Percy Harvin, this was no cruise.It was a process throughout the year, Green Bay linebacker Julius Peppers said. You get better and better each week. That is the main thing you want to do each week, get better than you were before, and I think we accomplished that over the season.Green Bay has added one more obstacle in the post-season: Rodgers left calf injury that has limited his mobility. But Rodgers showed in last weeks divisional-round win over Dallas he can manage just fine, throwing for 316 yards and three touchdowns in the 26-21 victory.Now All-Pro Rodgers gets his first shot at an NFC title since winning at Chicago in January 2011. A Super Bowl victory over Pittsburgh followed.Its a different team, Rodgers said. I think its less than 20 guys still here from that team. Its only four years ago. But we have confidence that we can win on the road.Heres what else to watch for as Seattle tries to become the first defending champion in a decade to reach consecutive Super Bowls:CALF WATCH: Rodgers injury is slowing him from scrambling before throwing, one of his strengths. His right arm is just fine. Rodgers got hurt during the Dec. 21 game against Tampa Bay. He still completed 74 per cent of his passes in his last three games, including the win over Dallas. Coach Mike McCarthy has had Rodgers operating out of shotgun formations to help limit his movement.Perhaps just as importantly for the Packers has been the solid work of the offensive line much of the year. All-Pro fullback John Kuhn, an excellent blocker, has also seen more time of late. Rodgers will need top-notch protection against Seattles tough defence.SILENT SHERMM: Sherman, another All-Pro, was bored when Green Bay visited in the season opener.dddddddddddd Through the entire game, Rodgers refused to throw at the cornerback, instead turning to the other side of the field. Sherman took Rodgers approach as a sign of respect. It also left him frustrated. He described it as being a 12 on a 1-10 scale.Everybodys like, Man, thats cool, nobody threw to your side, Sherman said. But if youre a player, you want to make plays in the game, you feel you can help your team, you want the ball coming your way more.Sherman doesnt expect it the same this time.Im not surprised either way, Sherman said. But I expect them to execute their game plan, whatever that may be. Not sure what theyre going to do.ATTITUDE: Linebackers Clay Matthews and Julius Peppers draw the headlines and make big plays on the Packers defence. Lineman Mike Daniels supplies the attitude. A mainstay up front, Daniels demeanour sets a stern tone on game day.Theyll need Daniels and fellow lineman Letroy Guion to slow down bullish running back Marshawn Lynch just enough to allow linebackers Matthews and Sam Barrington, and safety Morgan Burnett to try to finish off tackles up the middle. Daniels has 14 tackles and two sacks over his last four games.COMING OF AGE: When Green Bay visited in Week 1, centre Corey Linsley, wide receiver Davante Adams and tight end Richard Rodgers were all making their NFL debuts. Now theyre integral parts of the offence. Adams was the star of Green Bays win over Dallas last week with seven catches for 117 yards and a touchdown.You expect those guys to hit some sort of lull during the year, as the college season is usually 12 or 13 games, Aaron Rodgers said. After the preseason, youre looking at midway through the season, thats a normal college season for these guys, and you havent seen it.THANKS BUFFALO: Seattle ultimately owes thanks to Buffalo for Sundays title game being played at CenturyLink Field. The Bills victory over Green Bay in Week 15 was the difference in Seattle winning the tiebreaker for the No. 1 seed in the NFC. Instead of Seattle being forced to deal with the freezing temperatures of Wisconsin, the Packers are about to enter the Seahawks cauldron of noise — certain to be even more amped than when Green Bay visited to open the season.Any time we get the home games, especially the NFC championship at home, and we get to play in front of the 12s, its exciting, Seattle safety Kam Chancellor said of the teams fan base. Its exciting for us, exciting for them, and I think we deserve it and they deserve it, as well.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL China Jerseys China Jerseys Jerseys NFL Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys 2018 Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping ' ' '