Rangers move into second wild-card spot with shutout win over Columbus
Igor Shesterkin of the Rangers stops a shot by Mathieu Olivier of the Columbus Blue Jackets during the first period of the game at Nationwide Arena on Saturday in Columbus. Credit: NHLI via Getty Images/Kirk Irwin
COLUMBUS, Ohio — It’s been a long grind for the Rangers this season, but after months of struggle and with the season coming down to its final weeks, the Blueshirts finally have battled their way back into a playoff spot.
In a huge showdown game against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday night at Nationwide Arena, the Rangers got two goals from Vincent Trocheck, a goal and an assist from Artemi Panarin, 21 saves from goaltender Igor Shesterkin in his fifth shutout of the season and Alexis Lafreniere’s first goal in six weeks in a 4-0 win. It lifted the Rangers out of a tie with the Blue Jackets and into sole possession of the second wild card in the Eastern Conference.
And as a bonus, defenseman Adam Fox returned to the lineup after missing eight games with an upper-body injury. Fox had an assist on Trocheck’s second goal, which came shorthanded and into an empty net with 3:19 left.
“I thought it was a great team effort, and obviously we didn’t like the way we played last time against these guys [a 7-3 loss at the Garden last Sunday],’’ Fox said. “And two points against this team is worth a little more than another two points. So great response by the group. And it definitely felt good to be back with them.’’
The Rangers (33-28-6, 72 points) hold the second wild card for the moment. The Canadiens (32-27-7, 71) beat Florida on Saturday night and are one point behind the Rangers with a game in hand. The Blue Jackets (31-27-8, 70 points) are two points behind and also have a game in hand.
The Rangers, who will face the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday night at the Garden, have 15 games left.
“We’ve got a lot of work to do,’’ coach Peter Laviolette said. “There’s still teams that are right there . . . other teams got a game in hand on us, and so none of that matters. We talked about it. We’re in charge of what we do . . . and don’t have to look anywhere else.
“It’s great if other teams don’t win on any given night, but we’ve just got to be responsible for ourselves right now.’’
Columbus, which lost its third straight, didn’t have No. 1 goalie Elvis Merzlikins available because his wife was about to have a baby, so coach Dean Evason started backup Daniil Tarasov in net. Tarasov was in goal for last Sunday’s win over the Rangers, but his mistake Saturday led to the opening goal by Lafreniere 1:43 into the game.
Mika Zibanejad started the play when he knocked the puck off the stick of Columbus defenseman Damon Severson and into the corner. Tarasov came out of his crease to try to play it, but it was in the trapezoid area, where goalies aren’t allowed to touch it. Zibanejad got to the puck and slid a pass across the slot to Lafreniere, who backhanded it into the unguarded net for his first goal since Feb. 2. It broke a 14-game drought.
“It was a really good forecheck [by Zibanejad],’’ Lafreniere said. “He kind of tapped it back to me and . . . I really didn’t have much to do on it.’’
Panarin made it 2-0 at 11:36 of the second period, 24 seconds after the Rangers killed a penalty to Zac Jones. He took a pass from Lafreniere from behind the net, weaved to the middle and whipped a shot through some traffic off the post and in for his 29th goal.
Panarin then set up Trocheck for his first goal, which made it 3-0 at 14:38 of the third period.
When Braden Schneider was sent off for a tripping penalty with 3:59 left, Columbus pulled the goalie to make it a six-on-four advantage. But Fox intercepted a pass by Adam Fantilli and passed to J.T. Miller, who relayed up ice to Trocheck, who put the game out of reach.
Fox, in the lineup for the first time since getting injured Feb. 25 against the Islanders, played 20:36 and said he felt good.
“When you miss a couple games and come back [after] an injury, you try not to be a little tentative and you want to get that awareness out there,’’ Fox said. “I play kind of an instinctive game, so you’re trying to get that back. But I thought as the game went on, I felt a little better, and just tried to keep it as simple as possible.’’
Notes & quotes: With Fox returning to the lineup, Laviolette opted to keep Jones in and scratch Carson Soucy instead. That meant all three players the Rangers got just before the trade deadline — Soucy, forward Juuso Parssinen and defenseman Calvin de Haan — were healthy scratches.
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.
