National Hockey League
Columbus 5, NY Rangers 3
When: 7:00 PM ET, Tuesday, March 20, 2018
Where: Madison Square Garden, New York, New York
Referees: Tom Chmielewski, Kelly Sutherland
Linesmen: Shane Heyer, Tim Nowak
Attendance: 17194
Artemi Panarin recorded his second career hat trick and added an assist as the Columbus Blue Jackets stretched their winning streak to nine games with a 5-3 victory over the New York Rangers on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden.

Panarin, who also recorded a hat trick against the Rangers while playing for the Chicago Blackhawks in 2016, notched his fourth career four-point game.

Alexander Wennberg and defenseman Markus Nutivarra also scored for Columbus while Sergei Bobrovsky made 29 saves.

Kevin Hayes scored a short-handed goal while Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider scored power-play goals for the Rangers.

Henrik Lundqvist made 26 saves. Lundqvist also withstood a collision with Columbus left winger Matt Calvert in the third period and stayed in the game after his shoulder hit the ice.

The Blue Jackets struck first with 6:06 remaining in the first period by winning a faceoff and executing effective puck movement.

Boone Jenner won a faceoff against Hayes and dumped the puck in behind the net where Thomas Vanek retrieved it. Vanek made a backhand pass and it appeared to surprise Wennberg, who hesitated before releasing a wrist shot from the slot that went over Lundqvist's glove side.

The Blue Jackets took a 2-0 lead with 10:32 remaining in the second when Panarin scored his first goal.

After Lundqvist stopped Calvert's wrist shot, the Blue Jackets retained possession and Ian Cole made a cross-ice pass through the slot. Panarin completed the play with a wrist shot over Lundqvist's glove side from the right circle.

New York scored with 6:16 remaining in the second after Jesper Fast broke up Wennberg's pass from behind the net. After creating the turnover, Fast connected with Hayes, who finished off a breakaway.

Nutivarra scored 4:05 into the third by finishing off Panarin's pass but the Rangers cut the deficit to one goal a little over three minutes later when Zibanejad's drive from the right circle went over Bobrovsky's right arm.

A little over four minutes later, Columbus regained a two-goal lead.

Lundqvist stopped Cam Atkinson's breakaway but was out of the crease and did not cover up the puck. Panarin pounced on the rebound and lifted a backhander into the net before Lundqvist could return to the crease.

New York scored its second power-play goal when Kreider redirected a shot by Brady Skjei with just under two minutes remaining but Panarin scored into an empty net with two seconds left.

--Field Level Media

Top Game Performances
 
Columbus   NY Rangers
Artemi Panarin 4 Points Kevin Hayes 1
Artemi Panarin 3 Goals Kevin Hayes 1
Ian Cole 2 Assists Pavel Buchnevich 1
N/A Power Play Goals Chris Kreider 1
N/A Short Handed Goals Kevin Hayes 1
Sergei Bobrovsky .906 Save Percentage Henrik Lundqvist .867
Sergei Bobrovsky 29 Saves Henrik Lundqvist 26
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
Columbus 31 5 0-2 2-4 8 31
NY Rangers 32 3 2-4 2-2 4 25
Upcoming Games
  • NY Rangers will play their next game on the road against Philadelphia. The Rangers have a W/L % of .500 after a win and .390 after a loss.
  • Columbus will play their next game at home against Florida. The Blue Jackets have a W/L % of .585 after a win and .515 after a loss.