Rangers subdue Columbus, 5-3

In Columbus, everyone was on the same page for the New York Rangers. And it showed.

Artemi Panarin and Chris Kreider hot for two goals each and the Rangers downed the Blue Jackets, 5-3, on Saturday night.

“Maybe because Columbus, old team, I tried to score,” Panarin  said. “That’s why I shoot. … The situation I’m in now makes me hungry.”

Kreider scored both of his goals off the power play.

New York improved to 8-3-3.

“The first period was a bit sloppy,” Rangers head coach Gerard Gallant said. “It looked like we had four days off (since a 4-3 win against the Florida Panthers on Monday). We didn’t have any jump, but after that I thought we played the exact way I wanted us to play.

“After they scored that second goal, I thought we were real good the rest of the night.”

Igor Shesterkin made 31 saves in the Rangers win.

“It was the end result of us doing the right things,” Kreider said. “There’s going to be stretches where pucks aren’t going to go in but we’re getting looks. Then they come in bunches like that, especially with the skill we have.”

Shesterkin did leave the game in the third period after being hit by a Blue Jackets skater.

Alexandar Georgiev replaced Shesterkin, he made two saves.

“He was ready to go back in,”  Gallant said.

Jakub Voracek (power-play) and Eric Robinson scored for the Blue Jackets and sandwiched a Panarin goal for a 2-1 Columbus lead.

“No need to panic. We have to learn from it,” the Blue Jackets’ Zach Werenski said. “All the good things we have done, we just have to keep doing them.”

The Rangers hit for three goals in in 63 seconds in the middle frame.

Kreider, Panarin, and Jacob Trouba were the strikers in the outburst.

Alexandre Texier‘s goal scoring play in the third period, ended with the Shesterkin.

Columbus dropped to 7-5-0.

Elvis Merzlikins made 36 saves in the Jackets loss.

“The guys had a good game last night. I feel like I was the cheater today,” Merzlikins said. “They played really good last night. I was the only guy who was fresh. They were tired. They played back to back.

“We all know how it is. I should give more for the team. I was the only one who was rested, who didn’t play, who had the fresh legs. I should be the difference-maker and I had to stop all of those three shots (in the second period).”