." New York had two failed power plays earli

WASHINGTON -- Ian Desmond had to wait nearly four minutes on third base Wednesday night while his potential go-ahead home run was reviewed. "I was just wondering what I was going to do if they messed it up," he said, "and luckily they didnt." After the replay review, Desmonds solo homer provided the go-ahead run as the Washington Nationals rallied from a three-run deficit for 4-3 win over the Colorado Rockies, sweeping the three-game series. Right-hander Matt Belisle (2-4) came on to face Desmond with one out in the seventh. Desmonds hit appeared to bounce off the top of the wall in right centre, then off the railing in front of the first row and onto the field. "The way it bounced back hard like that I kind of assumed it was over, and the way that (centre fielder Drew) Stubbs kind of just didnt go after it made it a little bit easier," he said. "But at that point I was like Im going to get a triple, so yes I thought it was gone, but I wasnt 100 per cent sure." After a review that took 3:42, Desmond had his 15th homer. Jayson Werth also homered for Washington, which has won a season-high five straight. Washingtons Doug Fister (7-2) was hit hard early and allowed three runs on seven hits over seven innings. "Constant battle all night," he said. "Biggest thing was making sure the ball got down in the zone." Tyler Clippard handled the eighth and Rafael Soriano pitched the ninth for his 20th. Michael McKenry hit a three-run homer for Colorado, which has lost 14 of 16 and finished its road trip 1-6. Rockies rookie left-hander Tyler Matzek went 6 1-3 innings, allowing three runs on six hits in his fifth start. He threw 95 pitches, striking out six and walking one. Matzek struck out the final three batters he faced -- the last one being left-handed Bryce Harper - before manager Walt Weiss brought in Belisle to face the right-handed Desmond. "I think (Matzek) got stronger as the game went on, but he was in uncharted territory," Weiss said. "Hes a young guy that probably hasnt thrown more than 90, 95 pitches in the game." The Rockies took 3-0 lead in the second. Troy Tulowitzki and Corey Dickerson opened with singles. After Ryan Wheeler flied out, McKenry connected with Fisters second pitch for his first home run of the season. Colorado hit the ball hard off Fister, who finished with five strikeouts and no walks while improving to 5-0 this season at Nationals Park. He also got help from his defence, with Harper and Denard Span running down several balls in the outfield and Ryan Zimmerman making a diving stop in the seventh. "There was a lot of strong contact tonight but guys made some great plays," Fister said. Washington tied it in the fourth. After Anthony Rendon singled and stole second, Matzek fell behind Werth 3-1. He left a fastball up and Werth sent it just over the centre field fence for his seventh homer. "Had a base open, 3-1 to a big hitter, that was a stupid pitch," Matzek said. Harper followed with a bloop double to short left, went to third on a wild pitch, and scored on Desmonds single. "I dont think we ever think were out of it," Williams said. "We think that we have a chance at any time, especially three down." With the exception of Jose Lobaton spelling catcher Wilson Ramos, Williams used the same lineup for the third straight game since Harper returned, with Harper in left, Ryan at third and Rendon at second. Colorado turned a highlight-reel double-play in the first. With no outs, second baseman DJ LeMahieu made a sliding stop of Rendons grounder behind second base and flipped it with his glove hand to shortstop Tulowitzki at second. Tulowitzki barehanded the toss facing centre field, spun around and fired to first in time to get Rendon. NOTES: The Rockies acquired RH Jair Jurrjens from the Reds for minor league first baseman Harold Riggins. Jurrjens, who was pitching at Triple-A Louisville, has a 53-37 record with a 3.63 ERA in seven major league seasons. ... An MRI on RH Jhoulys Chacins shoulder did not indicate a quick return from the DL. "It looks like he has some (rotator) cuff inflammation and we need to sit down with the medical staff and figure out a plan of attack," manager Walt Weiss said. ... Williams said Harper, who has hit sixth since returning from the DL on Monday, will eventually move up. "Does he hit two for us, three for us, does he hit four? Yes. Maybe not today, but he will." ... The Nationals are off Thursday, while Colorado hosts the Dodgers with LH Franklin Morales (4-4, 5.75) opposing RH Zack Greinke (10-4, 2.78). Jonathan Schoop Jersey . Theres little time for rest, too. The Flyers and Rangers play again Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden. Simmonds scored in the first period and twice more in the second for his first career post-season hat trick. Mason survived a busy first period and stopping 31 straight shots until Carl Hagelin scored late in the third. Kent Hrbek Twins Jersey . Behind the talents of rookie Johnny Gaudreau, the Flames will look to keep pace Thursday night when they face the Minnesota Wild in the second of a six-game homestand. http://www.twinssale.com/twins-blake-parker-jersey/ . -- Gary Harris gave No. Jorge Polanco Twins Jersey .C. - Canadian ice dancing, it seems, is in good hands. Addison Reed Twins Jersey . Wayne and Cindy Tuck of Ilderton, Ont., closed out round-robin play earlier in the day with a 7-3 win over Finland but needed a win over Austria to reach the final eight.UNIONDALE, N.Y. - This weekend version of New York, New York could cost the Columbus Blue Jackets the playoff spot they are desperate to grab. The Blue Jackets gave everything they had at home in a loss to the playoff-hopeful New York Rangers on Friday night and followed it up with a disheartening 2-0 defeat on Sunday to the New York Islanders, who are just playing out the string. "Its the NHL. The other team is paid to play, too," defenceman Jack Johnson said. "There is no easy teams. Nobody took them lightly, nobody didnt understand the gravity of the situation, we just didnt score a goal." Evgeni Nabokov made 41 saves in his 58th NHL shutout, and Travis Hamonic scored a coast-to-coast, power-play goal in the second period to pace the Islanders, who are third to last in the Eastern Conference. Columbus had a total of 24 shots in the first two periods and then fired 17 in a desperate final frame when the Blue Jackets had four of their six power plays. "If you cant come and push yourself every night, go do putt-putt or something," Johnson said. "Everyone tried. We knew how important this one was. I cant question anyones effort. It was just a tough game." The Blue Jackets power play has gone 0 for 35 the past nine games. They will have to get better over the final 11 games, starting with a key home matchup on Tuesday against Detroit, which is neck and neck with Columbus in the playoff race. Columbus, which has dropped to fifth in the Metropolitan Division, has fallen out of an Eastern Conference playoff position. The Blue Jackets have lost three of four. "These points are huge right now," centre Ryan Johansen said. "Against a team like the Islanders, who are playing spoiler right now, its very frustrating. Weve got to learn from it but we cant dwell on this." Nabokov got the best of Russian counterpart Sergei Bobrovsky in their third meeting this season and posted his third shutout in this campaign. It was just the Islanders second regulation win ever over the Blue Jackets. Cal Clutterbuck also scored for the Islanders, who bounced back from a 6-0 loss to Minnesota on Tuesday and finished a 2-2 homestand. "We were playing hard for our fans. We worked hard and we found a way to win," Nabokov said. "We knew they were playing a third gaame in four (days) and we wanted to make it tough for them.dddddddddddd." Bobrovsky made 30 saves before he was pulled for an extra skater with 1:50 left as Columbus began its final power play. "There is no time to rant and rave," forward Brandon Dubinsky said. "Weve got to be ready to go for our next game. "We certainly need to be a lot better than we were today." Hamonic gave the Islanders struggling power play a lift with a stunning, end-to-end rush up the middle of the ice that produced his second goal of the season with just 51.7 seconds left in the middle period. The defenceman started from behind his net and skated alone on a straight line toward the centre ice logo. He eluded R.J. Umberger in the neutral zone, carried the puck across the blue line and then snapped a shot from the slot over Bobrovskys left shoulder for his first goal since Oct. 29 — a span of 45 games. "I was glad to get that scoring chance and finish it," Hamonic said. "Nice to chip in offensively, but I work to bring a defence presence first. "I was just fortunate to get my feet moving and score." New York had two failed power plays earlier in the second. The first generated little as the Islanders couldnt get organized. The second produced several potential scoring chances, including a seemingly open net for Frans Nielsen to shoot at, but his drive from the right circle hit the outside of the net. The Islanders took a 1-0 lead when Clutterbuck scored his 10th goal just eight seconds after serving a roughing penalty. Johan Sundstrom, in his fourth career NHL game, swung behind the Columbus net and attempted to score on a wraparound at the left post. The puck caromed in front to Nielsen, who nudged it into the slot to Clutterbuck for a shot that beat Bobrovsky with 6:34 left in the first. It was the first career point for Sundstrom, who made his debut on March 14. NOTES: The Islanders only other regulation win over the Blue Jackets since Columbus joined the NHL for the 2000-01 season was a 4-0 home victory on Dec. 23, 2006. ... The Blue Jackets fell to 11-2-4 against the Islanders and 4-2-2 at Nassau Coliseum. ... Hamonic has 12 goals in 241 career NHL games. ... New York announced after the game it agreed to terms on a one-year extension with LW Eric Boulton. ' ' '