First Period:
In the 1st period, between the New York Rangers and Columbus Blue Jackets, the Rangers got off to a fairly quick start on a beautiful wrist shot from the slot by rookie Kevin Hayes (11) that went high, glove side, giving the Rangers a 1-0 lead at 5:57. The only assist on the goal was by Carl Hagelin.
Not even 3 minutes later, at 8:06, the recently heated up, Martin St. Louis, scored his 18th goal of the season, from the side of the net, banking it off of the back of Blue Jackets’ goaltender Curtis McElhinney. The goal was assisted by Derek Stepan and Marc Staal.
The Rangers completely dominated the 1st period, out shooting the Blue Jackets 14-8, and out scoring the Blue Jackets 2-0. Blue Jackets looked a step slow throughout the 1st but that would start to change in the 2nd.
Second Period:
Eyes On Isles
In the 2nd period, the Rangers would once again score quick, this time only 1:24 into the period, and once again scored by St. Louis (19), assisted by Stepan and Ryan McDonagh.
After that quick goal however, something changed in the Blue Jackets and they started to wake up and even take over the game. Not even 1 minute after St. Louis’ 2nd goal of the game, at 2:17, Marko Dano (2) scored, assisted by Nick Foligno and Fedor Tyutin, getting the Blue Jackets on the board, now trailing 3-1.
Then towards the end of the period, as the Blue Jackets kept buzzing, former Ranger, Artem Anisimov, scored his 4th goal of the season, assisted by Dano, cutting the Rangers lead to 3-2 now.
What started off as a good 2nd period for the Rangers ended with the Blue Jackets taking over the play, and only trailing by 1 goal at 3-2. The Rangers may have out shot the Blue Jackets in that period 15-11, but there was definitely and uneasy feeling with their lead now only being one going into the 3rd.
Third Period:
In the 3rd period, the momentum the Blue Jackets had at the end of the 2nd carried over. Not only were they controlling the majority of play again, but were able to score the equalizer, at 15:41, on a shot from David Savard (9), assisted by Anisimov and Foligno, a shot that the Rangers’ goaltender Cam Talbot ultimately should have stopped.
What looked like was going to be a stick save, the puck would ride up Talbot’s stick, almost like a ramp, and go top shelf into the back of the Rangers’ net.
The 3rd period would end with the Rangers only recording 1 shot on goal. The Blue Jackets out scored them 1-0, tying the game at 3, and out shot them 8-1.
Overtime:
In overtime, the Rangers would wake up and try their best to end the game, but Blue Jackets’ goaltender McElhinney had other ideas, robbing Rick Nash right in front of the net on a power play, Stepan from in close, and Mats Zuccarello and John Moore from the hash marks in the slot.
Four Rangers had glorious opportunities to end the game from inside the hash marks yet McElhinney stood tall and committed highway robbery.
The overtime ended tied, with the Rangers out shooting the Blue Jackets 6-3, and with the Rangers’ struggles in the shootout, it seemed as if the Rangers were going to let a big point slip away.
Shootout:
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In the shootout, the Rangers decided to go 1st and it was St. Louis that got the Rangers on the board first with a goal. The 1st shooter for the Blue Jackets was Mark Letestu, a player rumored to possibly go to the Rangers before the March 2nd trade deadline, and he buried one passed Talbot on the glove side. (1-1 after 1 round).
The 2nd Rangers’ shooter was J.T. Miller, who proceeded to deke out McElhinney but hit the post on the backhand. The 2nd Blue Jackets’ shooter was Ryan Johansen, who proceeded to deke out Talbot but hit the crossbar on the backhand. (1-1 after 2 rounds).
The 3rd shooter for the Rangers was Nash, who skated in fast and wristed one by McElhinney on the blocker side. The 3rd shooter for the Blue Jackets was Cam Atkinson, who skated in slowly and tried to deke Talbot out but smartly Talbot would go on the aggressive and poke check the puck away from Atkinson before he was able to complete his deke move. (2-1 Rangers after 3 rounds).
Final Score:
Rangers win 4-3 in a shootout (2-1).
Three Stars:
3) Artem Anisimov (1G, 1A)
2) Derek Stepan (0G, 2A)
1) Martin St. Louis (2G, 0A)
Next: Mark Letestu: A Good, Affordable Option For New York Rangers
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