Rangers 5, Blue Jackets 2
NEW YORK -- Center Oscar Lindberg scored his third and fourth goals of the season as the New York Rangers remained unbeaten with a 5-2 victory against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night.
Lindberg, a 23-year-old rookie, beat Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky twice during the first six minutes of the first period. Left winger Dominic Moore and centers Derick Brassard and Derek Stepan also scored for the Rangers, who improved to 3-0.
Left winger Viktor Stalberg and defenseman Keith Yandle had two assists apiece for the Rangers.
Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist made 37 saves for this third victory.
Blue Jackets center Ryan Johansen spoiled Lundqvist's shutout bid by scoring 4:35 into third period, deflecting a pass from the corner by defenseman Fedor Tyutin. Left winger Boone Jenner added a power-play goal with 5:53 remaining when he jammed a fluttering puck past Lundqvist.
Bobrovsky stopped 24 of 29 shots as the Blue Jackets dropped to 0-2.
A gaffe by Tyutin set up Lindberg's first goal. Tyutin's pass in front of his own net was intercepted by left winger Kevin Hayes, who had his shot turned aside before Lindberg swept the rebound home to make it 1-0 at 1:20.
Less than four minutes later, Lindberg made it 2-0 when a hard pass through the crease by right winger J.T. Miller deflected legally off Lindberg's skate and into the net.
Thirty-six seconds later, Moore pushed the lead to 3-0 when he batted a pass from center Jarrett Stoll out of mid-air and past Bobrovsky.
Right winger Rick Nash had a chance to put the Rangers ahead 4-0 with a penalty shot but was denied with 2:51 left in the first period by Bobrovsky.
Brassard gave the Rangers a four-goal cushion with 47.7 seconds remaining in the second period by scoring during a power play. Defenseman Dan Boyle fired a hard pass toward the slot that Brassard deflected for his first goal of the season.
About 20 seconds earlier, Lundqvist made a sprawling stop of center Ryan Johansen after he was caught out of his net and the puck bounced toward the front of the net to preserve the three-goal lead.
NOTES: Blue Jackets C William Karlsson made his season debut. He took the place of C Alexander Wennberg, who suffered a concussion Friday night against the Rangers in Columbus. ... Blue Jackets RW David Clarkson (lower body) missed his third game of this season with an injury and D Cody Goloubef was also a scratch. ... The Rangers made one lineup change, inserting LW Tanner Glass in place of RW Jesper Fast. ... D Dylan McIlrath and RW Emerson Etem were scratches for the Rangers.