On Friday night, the Columbus Blue Jackets survived a late scare from the New York Rangers and clinched a playoff berth with 3-2 win after the skills competition in New York.
“I think it’s just relief knowing that you’re giving yourself a chance to play on and to go for the Stanley Cup,” Blue Jackets captain Nick Foligno said. “That’s why we start the year, another opportunity.”
Artemi Panarin had a goal in regulation and skills strike for Columbus – file photo by Lewis Bleiman
Sergei Bobrovsky made 25 saves to get the win.
“No matter who we play, they’re good teams and so are we,” Foligno said. “If we can get to our game, it’s going to make it hard on anyone.”
Artemi Panarin had a goal in regulation and the only strike in the skills portion of the match.
The Blue Jackets needed extra time to get the win because the Rangers’ Pavel Buchnevich took a rebound from his initial shot and tied the game, 2-2, with less than seven seconds on the clock.
“It’s pretty cool when you tie the game up with [seven] seconds to go,” Rangers head coach David Quinn said. “It would have been nice to win in overtime or the shootout, but it’s nice for our guys to have that feeling at least, that one feeling in the last home game, to feel the emotion of our crowd and what could be if we have the success we certainly strive to have and what we think we’re capable of moving forward.”
Ryan Dzingel also scored for the Jackets.
“I’d rather take a 2-1 win,” Bobrovsky said. “That’s safe plus medicine for the heart, but it is what it is. We get it done in the shootout and we are happy.”
Chris Kreider reached a career high with his 28th goal of the season to give the Rangers a 1-0 lead in the second period.
“I’m proud of the guys. Listen, there’s been [stuff] running around our team all year long, right from the get go as far as guys leaving, you guys know the story, and there’s been a lot of things that have happened within that room,” Columbus head coach John Tortorella said. “I think the team has held together strong. I think it’s been a very honest locker room. When things come up, we air it out right away so it doesn’t sit in the room. So I’m proud of them, not just tonight and finding a way to win in a crazy game, but just how they’ve handled themselves throughout the year.”
[WATCH: All Blue Jackets vs. Rangers highlights]
Alexandar Georgiev made 39 saves in the loss.
“Trying to ruin their season was obviously a big motivation. I have a couple buddies on the other side there. We tried to ruin it. Couldn’t really get it done. Just wish them good luck in the playoffs,” — Rangers center Mika Zibanejad said. after the loss.
Perhaps Zibanejad should have borrowed a phrase from Foligno after the game, ‘no disrespect’.
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