The Rangers got back in the win column with a 4-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets at MSG.
The New York Rangers got back in the win column with a 4-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. This was a one-goal game until the final minute, when the Blueshirts scored two empty-netters.
Columbus defeated New York 4-2 on Sunday evening to snap the Rangers ten-game win streak. This time, the Rangers skated away with the victory.
Artemi Panarin scored two goals, and added an assist. Chris Kreider scored his 30th goal of the season into an empty net.
The game-winner was scored by Adam Fox on the power play in the second period.
Rangers goalie, Igor Shesterkin was brilliant again, stopping 30 of 31 Columbus shots to earn the win. Elvis Merzlikins was handed the loss while making 26 saves on 28 shots faced for the Blue Jackets.
The game did start quietly and after one period, the Blue Jackets and Rangers were locked in a scoreless tie. The Rangers were leading heavily in shots however with a 17-9 advantage.
New York was dominant in the faceoff dot during the first 20 minutes, winning 11 of the 15 draws.
The Rangers opened the scoring, as Artemi Panarin scored 7:17 into the second period. For Panarin it's was his team-leading 34th goal of the season.
It is also a career high as a Ranger, after he topped his previous high of 32 with a goal in Columbus on Sunday.
This tally came quickly off the draw, where Vincent Trocheck won it back to Panarin. A favorable bounce off of the linesman's skate allowed Panarin to rip the puck five-hole on the goaltender Merzlikins.
New York scored again, but this time on the power play when Mathieu Olivier went to the box for cross-checking. The goal came from Adam Fox with 5:41 remaining in the second to extend the Ranger lead to 2-0.
Fox buried the puck glove side after Kreider forced a turnover and gave him a perfect pass in the slot.
A successful second period gave the Rangers a 2-0 lead at the intermission. Although with the Rangers leading by two goals, Columbus had the Rangers beat in shots 10-9.
The Blue Jackets came out hungry to start the third period, as Cole Sillinger made it a one-goal game 3:24 into the final frame.
Shesterkin went behind the net to play the puck and sent it right to Damon Severson on the half wall. Severson fired a shot that was stopped, but the rebound was put home by Sillinger to make it 2-1.
The Rangers added two empty net goals late in the third period. The first came from Kreider, who tallied his 30th goal of the season with 53 seconds left to make it 3-1. Panarin and Vesey had the assists.
The fourth goal of the game came from Panarin, his second of the night and 35th of the season. This empty-netter came with 12 seconds remaining in the game and was assisted by Jacob Trouba and K'Andre Miller.
New York is back in action this Saturday, as they head up to The Six and take on the Toronto Maple Leafs at 7 pm.