Sports

Rangers' Defense Falls Apart In 7-5 Loss To Blue Jackets

January 13, 2019 / 11:00 PM EST / CBS New York

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (CBSNewYork/AP) — After winning their last two games in overtime, the Columbus Blue Jackets went up by three goals in the third period Sunday night against the New York Rangers and appeared ready to hit cruise control.

It wasn't going to be that easy, though.

The New York Rangers scored two quick goals later in the third to turn a rout into a tight game down the stretch. It wasn't until Nick Foligno scored a wrap-around goal with 1:21 left that Columbus had some breathing room on the way to 7-5 victory.

Foligno scored twice and Sergei Bobrovsky returned from a team suspension to stop 22 shots for the Blue Jackets, who have won four of the last five and jumped Pittsburgh to move into second place behind Washington in the Metropolitan Division.

"It's a weird game when you're up 6-3 and they're pushing and pressing and get some flukey ones," Foligno said. "But we stuck with it and did the right things and found a way to get the job done. That's what you have to do — you don't care how it gets done, just get those two points."

Blue Jackets forward Cam Atkinson, center, is blocked by Rangers defenseman Brady Skjei, right, as goalie Alexandar Georgiev makes a save during the second period on Jan. 13, 2019 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images)

Cam Atkinson and Artemi Panarin each had a goal and an assist, Ryan Murray had two assists and nine other Blue Jackets picked up points in the offensive explosion. Columbus had 19 shots in the first period and outshot the Rangers 40-27 for the game.

"We had the puck all night long," Columbus coach John Tortorella said.

Mats Zuccarello had two goals, and Ryan Stome, Chris Kreider and Jimmy Vesey also scored for New York, which has lost six of the last seven and is languishing near the bottom of the Metro.

Alexandar Georgiev, spelling regular starter Henrik Lungqvist on the second night of a back-to-back, had 33 saves.

Rangers coach David Quinn channeled the salty Tortorella in his postgame comments, referring to his team's effort as "a freakin' joke." The Rangers, he said, lacked what he called "a bit of a snarl."

"(Columbus is) a team that competes hard on pucks and tests your mettle, and we failed miserably tonight," Quinn said. "Miserably. Our lack of determination on one-on-one battles, fishing for pucks. You do that in this league, that's what happens ... ."

Anthony Duclair, Lukas Sedlak and David Savard also scored for the Blue Jackets. Bobrovsky — who had been benched for Thursday's game for violating a team policy and didn't play in Saturday's overtime win over Washington — wasn't terrific, but held off the Rangers after they pulled the goalie for a sixth skater late in the game.

The team didn't release details of what happened with the two-time Vezina Trophy winner, but Bobrovsky acknowledged he let his emotions run away him. He said he spoke to the team and cleared the air.

"We'll move ahead," said Bobrovsky, who hasn't been able to come to terms with the team on a contract extension and may be traded. "I'll get back to work and do my thing, try to do my best to help this team win."

NOTES: Columbus' 19 shots in the first were the most in a period for the team this season. ... Blue Jackets D Zach Werenski played in his 200th NHL game. He had the assist on Atkinson's second-period goal. ... Rick Nash, who was the first star of the Columbus franchise, did the ceremonial puck drop. The 34-year-old Nash retired because of concussion issues after 15 seasons. ... New York D Neal Pionk returned after missing a game with a lower-body injury.

UP NEXT

New York: Hosts Carolina on Tuesday.

Columbus: Hosts New Jersey on Tuesday.