Wisniewski injury a huge loss for Blue Jackets

It's been a season of bad breaks for the Blue Jackets. That statement has taken a literal turn now, too.Defenseman James Wisniewski, one of the Blue Jackets' big offseason acquisitions, suffered a broken left ankle when he was struck by a fired puck during Thursday's 4-1 win in Dallas.Wisniewski is expected to miss at least six weeks."Boom. That was the sound," Wisniewski told The Columbus Dispatch. "I saw it coming and said, 'This is going to hurt.' And it hurt. Jeff Carter, he was next to me, and he said you could hear it hit bone. It sounded nasty."The Blue Jackets did not fare well when Wisniewski was out of the lineup earlier this season. While he served an eight-game NHL suspension at the start of the season for a preseason clash with Minnesota's Cal Clutterbuck, the Jackets went 0-7-1.In Saturday's 4-2 loss to Washington -- their first game since Wisniewski's injury -- the Blue Jackets played Grant Clitsome in Wisniewski's old spot, beside rookie John Moore. Columbus next faces the Sharks in San Jose on Thursday.Wisniewski signed a six-year, 33 million contract with the Blue Jackets on July 1 after Columbus acquired his rights in a trade with Montreal. He has two goals, 15 assists and a minus-18 rating in 29 games. NOTES, QUOTESColumbus struggles to hold leads--The Blue Jackets have carried leads into the third period 16 times in 38 games this season. They are 8-6-2 in those games, the most blown leads (eight) in the NHL this season. The latest occurred Saturday, when the Jackets carried a 2-0 lead into the third period at home against Washington and lost 4-2.--Blue Jackets coach Scott Arniel stormed out of his postgame press conference after Saturday's 4-2 loss to Washington. He didn't like the line of questioning regarding the Jackets' struggles at 4-on-4 play, in which they've been outscored 8-1. "I guess you guys have all the answers and you're just waiting to jump," Arniel barked. "I guess we'll have to work on that. So just keep piling on. Whatever you want. Just keep piling on." And with that, he walked out.QUOTE TO NOTE: "If I had the answer, I don't know that we'd keep doing this." -- Blue Jackets coach Scott Arniel, after the Jackets blew a third-period lead for the eighth time this season in a 4-2 loss to Washington on Saturday.ROSTER REPORTPLAYER NOTES:--D James Wisniewski will miss six weeks with a broken ankle, suffered in Thursday's win over Dallas. Wisniewski was struck on the inside of his left foot by a puck fired by Stars F Mike Ribeiro and needed help leaving the ice. The Jackets were 0-7-1 without Wisniewski earlier this season when he was suspended by the NHL for a preseason hit on Minnesota's Cal Clutterbuck.--D Nikita Nikitin, who has logged big minutes for the Blue Jackets since a trade with St. Louis, missed Saturday's game vs. Washington with the flu. He took the pregame warmup but was deemed too ill to dress.--C Derick Brassard was starting to generate offense. His five points -- two goals, three assists -- during a four-game stretch led the Blue Jackets, but he was demoted to the fourth line the following day. Blue Jackets coach Scott Arniel said he promoted AHL veteran Mark Letestu to the second line in Brassard's place because Letestu has a right shot.MEDICAL WATCH:--D James Wisniewski (broken ankle) is out six weeks.--G Curtis Sanford (hip) is day-to-day.--LW Kristian Huselius (lower body) is out until February.--D Radek Martinek (concussion) is out indefinitely.--D Nikita Nikitin (flu) is day-to-day.