The New York Rangers were booming with confidence as they rolled into Columbus. Things were looking good early against the Blue Jackets as they quickly built up a 2-0 lead. However, Gerard Gallant warned his charges that the Jackets would be hungry after an embarrassing loss at home on Wednesday.
Columbus came back to tie early in the first period leaving the Rangers looking to settle down and get back to basics. Maybe the team should have listened to their coach from the beginning.
To make matters worse, Adam Fox went down in the third period with an injury.
Recap: Rangers vs Blue Jackets
Artemi Panarin got the show going by scoring on his former team just 1:29 into the game. Adam Fox started the play with an outlet pass to Panarin out of the zone. The Breadman did the rest with a little deke and cut to the middle before firing it past Joonas Korpisalo.
The Rangers would score again a little under three minutes later. This time Panarin passed it cross-ice to Braden Schneider, who fired a shot that went off Barclay Goodrow’s skate. For the rookie, it was his first NHL assist.
Things then went south for the Blueshirts after a goal was allowed off Gustav Nyquist’s skate that looked like a distinct kicking motion. That was followed by a penalty on Goodrow for tripping and thanks to Jackets’ captain Boone Jooner’s deflection it was tied at two.
The period ended all square but four goals in 7:28 minutes of action certainly didn’t make either coach happy.
“We were stressing to have a good start,” Goodrow said. “We let them back in the game. If we get back to the way we started, we’ll be fine.”
Rangers fall behind Blue Jackets
The second period was one the Rangers and Alexandar Georgiev would like to forget.
New York was only outshot 11-8, but the amount of blown coverages and turnovers was troubling. That was the case on both goals scored by Columbus to take a 4-2 lead.
Sean Kuraly was left all alone in front to redirect a pass behind Georgiev. All three Rangers forwards chased the puck to the point and left middle of the ice unprotected.
Jenner would add his second of the game on a bad angle that Georgiev should’ve hugged the post on. However, you can’t lay it at his skates because Fox turned over the puck twice and Ryan Stome once on that sequence.
Rangers lose Adam Fox
In the opening minute of the third period, Fox was taken to the boards and pinned. The play seemed harmless but it was clear the reigning Norris Trophy winner was in discomfort. He gingerly skated towards the bench and left for the locker room unable to return.
After the game, Gerard Gallant said it was “upper-body” and “not too serious,” He is considered “day-to-day.”
Mika Zibanejad would make the game interesting by scoring a one-time on the power play. Schneider was on the point in place of Fox, moved it to Panarin. He quickly hit Mika down low for the goal.
Unfortunately, time would run out as Kuraly would score into an empty net to close this one out 5-3.
“Tonight, there was three guys I was really happy with and the rest were below where I like them to be,” Gallant said after the loss. “We just weren’t ourselves.”
Notable Rangers
- Alexandar Georgiev struggled with just 14 saves on 18 shots
- Artemi Panarin finished with 1G – 2A
- Braden Schneider had his first multipoint game in the NHL with 2A
Tomorrow (Friday, Jan. 28): Gerard Gallant Availability in MSG Press Room (5:15 PM ET)
Next Game: Friday, Jan. 28 vs. Minnesota Wild (8:00 PM ET – TV: MSG+, NHLN)
*Schedule subject to change
Can Chris Kreider win the Rocket Richard Trophy?
Kreider is on a goal scoring tear. Can he win the Rocket Richard Trophy? Read more.
More must-reads: