First Period:
- Artemi Panarin (12) Assists: Ryan Lindgren (5), Adam Fox (40)
- Barclay Goodrow (9) Assists: Braden Schneider (1), Artemi Panarin (35)
- Gustav Nyquist (11) Assists: Patrik Laine (10), Boone Jenner (12)
- Boone Jenner (17) (Power Play) Assists: Zach Werenski (17), Oliver Bjorkstrand (16)
Second Period:
- Sean Kuraly (7) Assists: Zach Werenski (18), Max Domi (10)
- Boone Jenner (18) Assists: Patrik Laine (11)
Third Period:
- Mika Zibanejad (16) (Power Play) Assists: Artemi Panarin (36), Braden Schneider (2)
Stats:
Adam Rotter:
- I gotta be honest, they scored those two goals early in the first and this felt like it was going to be a blowout. It felt like a game where the Rangers would probably throw in 5 or 6 and cruise to a win over a team that was blown out last night and has been struggling. Instead, the exact opposite happened. Columbus scored quickly, tied it, and all of the sudden the Rangers, as has been the case a lot lately, were the second-best team on the ice.
- It seemed like they felt like this was going to be easy because of the two quick goals and then they couldn’t get things back on track. They were sloppy all over, slow, and looking like a team that just seemed like they would score because of their skill. Columbus, while not overly dominant, was the better team and deserved to take the lead.
- And then Columbus started taking penalties and the power play, which has saved the Rangers so many times this season did so again. Mika Zibanejad scored, the Rangers started pressing, they got another chance and couldn’t convert, pressed a little more, and ultimately get the result that they probably deserve.
- Adam Fox has been remarkably healthy in his time with the Rangers, only missing one game last year because of a false positive Covid test and it so was shocking to see him go off and not return. The Rangers were lucky when what seemed like potentially season-altering injuries came to Igor Shesterkin and Artemi Panarin, but neither was overly serious and both returned as the players we expect them to be. Hopefully, that is the case with Fox, and whatever kept him out either was done as a precaution or isn’t serious.
- The Rangers have won plenty of games this season where they only played well for between 20 and 30 minutes, but tonight wasn’t one of those nights. They had the chance with the PP to tie it in the third, but they got what they deserved for how they played in the middle parts of the game. I think that this could be a positive and hopefully, they learn a lesson of needing to bring their third period efforts earlier in the game. They have gotten so used to finding ways to win and they need to break from them and take the 2-0 lead, build on it and win.
- Next up will be a special night as the Rangers retire Henrik Lundqvist’s #30. But after the ceremony, the Rangers will face a Minnesota team that has won three in a row, is in a playoff spot and is led by the great combination of Mats Zuccarello and Kirill Kaprizov. After that it is Seattle on Sunday afternoon and then one last nice test against Florida before the All-Star and then non-Olympic break.