Blue Jackets extend home winning streak to seven
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Columbus Blue Jackets set a club record with their seventh consecutive home win, beating the New York Rangers 4-2 on Friday night in Nationwide Arena.
The Blue Jackets scored the go-ahead goal short-handed at 11:35 of the third period. Matt Calvert, who left blood on the ice earlier in the game after taking a puck to the forehead, found the net while teammate David Savard was in the penalty box for cross-checking.
Boone Jenner added an empty-net goal to seal the victory.
Mika Zibanejad had tied the score at 2 for the Rangers with a nifty back-door goal at 8:32 of the third period.
The Blue Jackets scored first at 16:34 of the first period.
After a turnover by New York's JT Miller, Columbus' William Karlsson gained control of the puck. In what was almost slow motion, Karlsson skated through the high slot and fired a slap shot that worked its way through Henrik Lundqvist's five-hole for a 1-0 lead that held up through the first intermission.
The Blue Jackets made it 2-0 in the second period after capitalizing on another New York turnover. Sam Gagner intercepted a pass and fired it off Lundqvist's glove and into the net for an unassisted goal.
Midway through the second period, New York's Nick Holden took a point shot that caught Calvert full in the face from about 15 feet. He immediately went down, cradling his head in his hands, and a growing pool of blood beneath him. He skated off and went down the tunnel.
Michael Grabner got the Rangers on the scoreboard at 11:04 of the second period with an unassisted goal, firing the puck past Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky from the slot.
NOTES: The Rangers and Blue Jackets met for the first time this season. ... The Rangers swept the four-game series with the Blue Jackets in 2015-16. ... G Sergei Bobrovsky has started 14 of the 15 games played by the Blue Jackets. ... G Henrik Lundqvist has started 14 of 18 games for the Rangers. ... LW Chris Kreider was in the lineup for the Rangers after missing the previous two games with neck spasms. ... Rangers RW Pavel Buchnevich remains out with back spasms and C Josh Jooris is on injured reserve (separated shoulder). ... Blue Jackets D Seth Jones is on injured reserve (foot fracture). RW David Clarkson remains on long-term injured reserve (back). ... Columbus scratched D Dalton Prout (upper-body injury). Washington scratched Buchnevich and D Adam Clendening.