First Period:

• Justin Danforth (4) Assists: Erik Gudbranson (4), Zach Werenski (7)
• Chris Kreider (10) Assists: Erik Gustafsson (7), Blake Wheeler (2)

Second Period:

• Alexis Lafreniere (6) Assists: Vincent Trocheck (7), Artemi Panarin (15)
• Adam Fantilli (4) Assists: Dmitri Voronkov (5)
• Sean Kuraly (5) Assists: Alexandre Texier (2), Erik Gudbranson (5)

Third Period:

• Alexis Lafreniere (7) Assists: Chris Kreider (4), Artemi Panarin (16)

Overtime:

Shootout:

• Artemi Panarin: Stopped
• Johnny Gaudreau: Missed
• Mika Zibanejad: Stopped
• Patrik Laine: Stopped
• Alexis Lafreniere: SCORES
• Alex Texier: Stopped

Three Stars:

• 3: Elvis Merzlikins
• 2: Jonathan Quick
• 1: Alexis Lafreniere

Stats:

Adam Rotter:

• Wow. This went from a game where the Rangers were a little off in their execution and decision-making with the puck to one where they found a way to win on the back of Jonathan Quick and Alexis Lafreniere.
• Quick made at least 2-3 saves when the Rangers were down a goal and kept the game close. He made some big saves in OT and in the shootout. He has already over-delivered and kept the Rangers afloat without Igor Shesterkin.
• I keep wanting to say that early in the season, 13-14 games in, but it sure looks like Alexis Lafreniere is finally becoming the player the Rangers drafted him to be. He’s putting himself in the right spots to score, he’s going to the net, his passes are crisp and on the mark, he has confidence making them and he had the confidence to pull out that backhand move in the shootout. We left the preseason with huge questions about both Lafreniere and Quick and they have been two of the Rangers best players and stories through this start to the season.
• As for the rest of the game, Columbus was equal to or better than the Rangers for a lot of this game, especially in the second period. The Rangers were not that smart with the puck, they gave up a lot off the rush and it just looked like a night where the Rangers either thought that it would be an easy game against a team they should beat and/or looking ahead to this little break in the schedule. But the Rangers are good enough and talented enough to always be in games and they found a way tonight to not only pick up one point, but pick up two when it sure looked like they were going to end it with 0.
• Will Cuylle is really starting to come on. He should have scored tonight and he makes a lot of things happen on the ice. He’s a rookie and so they shouldn’t throw too much at him, but it would be a little interesting to see him on the right side of Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad. That line continues to need a bit of a spark at 5-on-5 and if they aren’t going to move Alexis Lafreniere off the Panarin line, which they shouldn’t, I’d go back to Kaapo Kakko….or maybe just keep the lines of communication open with Patrick Kane. Again, like last season, the Rangers would have to jump through some sort of cap gymnastics to fit him in, though this would be harder because they haven’t banked cap space, have no easy way to generate space and Kane seems more open to joining other teams.
• Add Ryan Lindgren to the list of potentially injured Rangers who desperately need these days off. Hopefully, Igor Shesterkin will be ready for New Jersey, though there is definitely a confidence with Jonathan Quick in net, and hopefully Filip Chytil at least gets back on the ice during this week. Adam Fox is still weeks away, but hopefully the Rangers can come out of this little schedule break a bit healthier.
• They get some time off and then return with their first game against the Devils. New Jersey is banged up as well and so it won’t be as a true a test for the Rangers as it will be when Jack Hughes and others are back, but it will still be a big game.