Grabner, Rangers rally past Blue Jackets
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Michael Grabner scored on a breakaway with 17 seconds remaining for his second goal of the game as the New York Rangers rallied from a two-goal third-period deficit to defeat the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-4 on Saturday.
Columbus defenseman Seth Jones fanned on a pass at the New York blueline and the speedy Grabner pounced, lifting a backhand shot high over sprawling goaltender Curtis McElhinney. Grabner has a team-leading 18 goals.
Rangers defenseman Adam Clendening scored twice in the third period, setting the stage for Grabner's heroics.
Oscar Lindberg also scored and Henrik Lundqvist stopped 33 shots for New York.
Rookie defenseman Markus Nutivaara, Cam Atkinson and Scott Hartnell scored first-period goals while Lukas Sedlak tallied in the second for the Blue Jackets, who lost their second straight after a 16-game winning streak. McElhinney made 29 saves.
The Jackets jumped on the board early. Nutivaara scored with a slap shot from up high off a Josh Anderson feed 1:54 into the game on the team's second shot. It was his second career goal.
New York defenseman Ryan McDonagh was called for cross-checking at 4:27, and Columbus' power play showed why it is number one in the league. Ten seconds later, Sam Gagner sent a cross crease pass to Atkinson, who made it 2-0 with his team-leading 19th goal of the season.
Lindberg got the Rangers on the board when he capitalized on Jack Johnson's turnover in the neutral zone and created a 2-on-1 for New York before beating McElhinney high glove side. It was his first goal in 27 games.
With 4:03 to play in the first period, Hartnell batted Gagner's pass out of the air to make it 3-1. Gagner's two assists made him the fifth Blue Jacket to reach 30 points this season.
The teams traded goals in the second period. Sedlak earned his fourth goal of the season and Michael Grabner beat McElhinney high.
NOTES: Blue Jackets G Curtis McElhinney started just his fifth game of the season. He has played in relief of Sergei Bobrovsky twice this season, most recently in the 5-0 loss to Washington on Thursday. ... Saturday's game was the final one for New York before its league-mandated five-day break. Its next game is Friday against Toronto at home. ... The Rangers and Blue Jackets are two of three teams (Winnipeg) who have three or more players on their roster with 30 points or more this season. ... The Rangers' scratches were both because of injury. D Marc Staal (upper body) and F Rick Nash (groin) did not play. ... LW Markus Hannikainen, D Dalton Prout and D Scott Harrington were scratched for the Blue Jackets.