National Hockey League
NY Rangers 3, Columbus 1
When: 7:00 PM ET, Monday, January 16, 2023
Where: Nationwide Arena, Columbus, Ohio
Referees: Gord Dwyer, Michael Markovic
Linesmen: Shandor Alphonso, Julien Fournier
Attendance: 17024

Mika Zibanejad and Barclay Goodrow scored in the first period as the visiting New York Rangers recorded a 3-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday night.

The Rangers bounced back from their lackluster 2-1 home loss to the Montreal Canadiens Sunday night and dominated the first two periods of their 15th win in 22 games (15-4-3).

Zibanejad became the sixth player in team history to reach 20 goals in at least six straight seasons with 7:21 left in the first. It also was his eighth career season with at least 20 goals.

Goodrow scored on the man advantage with 58 seconds left -- his first career power-play goal.

Vitali Kravtsov also scored, Goodrow also had an assist and Kaapo Kakko tallied helpers on New York's first two goals.

Backup goalie Jaroslav Halak made 24 saves, including a point-blank stop on Patrik Laine's backhand try on a breakaway with 2:15 remaining in the first. He also made key stops on Gustav Nyquist, Adam Boqvist in the final minutes while Columbus played with the extra attacker.

Andrew Peeke scored early in the third for Columbus, which lost for the sixth time in eight games (2-6-0). Columbus goalie Elvis Merzlikins made 30 saves.

On a 4-on-4, the Rangers took a 1-0 lead as Kakko cleared the puck out of the defensive zone. Near center ice, Kakko moved the puck to Zibanejad, who used Columbus defenseman Tim Berni as a screen and rifled a one-timer from the left circle off the post.

The Rangers doubled their lead after Filip Chytil dug the puck out from behind the net and the sequence ended with Goodrow going to the right doorstep in time to deflect a K'Andre Miller shot over Merzlikins.

Shortly after Columbus took its first shot of the second, the Rangers made it 3-0 with 8:13 left in the period when Kravtsov re-directed a centering feed from Chytil past Merzlikins after easily getting to the middle of the crease.

Peeke ended Halak's shutout bid 81 seconds into the third by lifting a rising wrist shot from the slot into the net during a 4-on-4.

--Field Level Media

Top Game Performances
 
NY Rangers   Columbus
Barclay Goodrow 2 Points Andrew Peeke 1
Barclay Goodrow 1 Goals Andrew Peeke 1
Kaapo Kakko 2 Assists Gustav Nyquist 1
Barclay Goodrow 1 Power Play Goals N/A
N/A Short Handed Goals N/A
Jaroslav Halak .960 Save Percentage Elvis Merzlikins .909
Jaroslav Halak 24 Saves Elvis Merzlikins 30
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
NY Rangers 33 3 1-5 4-4 8 26
Columbus 25 1 0-4 4-5 10 27
Upcoming Games
  • Columbus will play their next game on the road against Nashville. The Blue Jackets have a W/L % of .231 after a win and .333 after a loss.
  • NY Rangers will play their next game at home against Boston. The Rangers have a W/L % of .542 after a win and .571 after a loss.