by Aaron Portzline, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH , The Columbus Dispatch

One of the club's six active defensemen -- general manager Scott Howson would not reveal whom -- began to feel ill in the afternoon, prompting the Blue Jackets to activate Commodore from injured reserve at least two days ahead of schedule.

Shortly before pregame warm-ups, however. Howson said that Commodore would not play.

Commodore, who has not played this season, could return Saturday at Anaheim or Sunday at Los Angeles.

\ Filatov returns

Rookie left winger Nikita Filatov was back in the lineup after being a healthy scratch the past three games.

He was in a different position, too, playing right wing on the Jackets' fourth line with left winger Raffi Torres and center Mike Blunden. In the first four games of the season, Filatov played left wing, scoring one goal with a plus-1 rating.

"I don't think I'm going to be a different player than I was" in the first four games, Filatov said before the game. "It's pretty hard to change everything in a week. Still, there are things I have worked on in practice, and I think I will do a pretty good job.

"Of course, I am excited, especially when you do not play for a week. It's good to be back."

Hitchcock said the switch could help Filatov find more open ice with the puck.

"Nikita's got unbelievable skill," Hitchcock said. "Great speed, great shot. But in this league, when you're a young guy playing on the off wing, it's a little bit uncomfortable with the pinching that goes on.

"He's looked much better in practice at that spot."

\ Veteran adviser

Backup goaltender Mathieu Garon has welcomed the opportunity, he said, to mentor starter Steve Mason, who is in his second NHL season.

"I think every young goaltender needs an older, veteran player behind him," Garon said. "I did it, to an extent, last season in Pittsburgh (behind Marc-Andre Fleury), and it's a job I am happy to do."

The first such outreach might have occurred Tuesday after a 6-3 loss at Calgary, when Mason allowed six even-strength goals. At least two appeared to be routine saves.

"I talked to him a little bit," Garon said. "Right after a game like that, you don't need people talking to you very much. But (on Wednesday), I told him to forget about. It's only one game, and it's not all his fault what happened."

Garon made his second start of the season against the Oilers, one of his three former clubs.

\ Slap shots

Former Blue Jackets first-round draft pick Gilbert Brule (No. 6 overall, 2005) did not play for the Oilers because of the flu. ... Right winger Jared Boll is suffering from a hip flexor but should be able to play this weekend. ... Garon expects to get his Stanley Cup ring when the Pittsburgh Penguins play in Nationwide Arena on Oct. 30. ... Blunden was in uniform after four straight healthy scratches. ... Center Andrew Murray was a healthy scratch.

aportzline@dispatch.com

Copyright 2009 The Columbus Dispatch All Rights Reserved
	Terms & Conditions     Privacy Copyright © 2009 LexisNexis, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.