Igor Shesterkin records third shutout of season as Rangers beat Columbus
New York Rangers' Chris Kreider celebrates his goal against the Columbus Blue Jackets during the first period on Saturday. Credit: AP/Jay LaPrete
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Sometimes you just have to take care of business and move on.
Goals by Jimmy Vesey and Chris Kreider in the first period, and the first of the season by defenseman Niko Mikkola in the third, provided more than enough offense for the Rangers in a 4-0 win over the Blue Jackets on Saturday.
Igor Shesterkin earned his third shutout of the season for his 99th career win. Shesterkin’s win was his 37th of the season, tied for second in the NHL with former Ranger Alexandar Georgiev of Colorado.
Afterward, the Rangers didn’t want to make too much of a win over the last-place Blue Jackets, but they were generally pleased with the way they played.
“Yeah, I think so,’’ forward Barclay Goodrow said. “You need to maintain good habits and stuff like that, but the guys played well tonight. Shesty was great, made the saves when we needed him to, and it’s good for him to get the shutout.’’
The final road game of the season for the Rangers featured the return of Patrick Kane to the lineup after two games missed with a lower-body injury. Kane played on the top line with Kreider and Mika Zibanejad and the three seemed comfortable together, creating a number of scoring chances, including the one that led to Kreider’s 36th goal at 11:49 of the first.
Kreider’s goal made it 2-0 after Vesey scored his 11th goal at 10:08. Goodrow stripped Columbus rookie forward Joona Luoto of the puck just inside the Columbus blue line and passed to Tyler Motte, who passed to Vesey. Goodrow earned an assist on the goal.
Mikkola, who was acquired along with Vladimir Tarasenko from St. Louis in a Feb. 9 trade, scored at 5:00 of the third period when he drove to the back post and tapped in a feed from Zibanejad for his fifth career goal.
Mikkola was given a five-minute major penalty with 1:23 left in the second period for hitting Columbus forward Eric Robinson high near the Rangers’ blue line, leaving Robinson down on all fours for a moment. But upon video review, the officials determined that the hit by Mikkola was clean and not a penalty.
“I knew when they said [they would review the call], I had the puck, so I didn’t even try to hit that guy,’’ Mikkola said. “So I think that was a good call.’’
Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
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