New York Rangers avoid upset beat Columbus Blue Jackets 3-2 in OT - NHL Update
The New York Rangers managed to avoid a huge upset on Sunday, February 19th, 2012 as they beat a fighting Columbus Blue Jackets side 3-2 in overtime.
A shocked capacity crowd in Madison Square Garden could only watch in horror as the Blue Jackets pegged back their Eastern Conference leading side twice to equalise in regulation time.
A huge upset was on the cards but the Rangers have not remained top in the Eastern Conference for no reason and showed great spirit to win it 3-2 in overtime.
The Rangers, with the win, increased their lead at the top to nine points over the chasing Boston Bruins as their record moved up to 38-14-5 and 81 points.
Rangers coach John Tortorella praised his team’s resilience and calmness in overtime after the game saying,
"We handled ourselves well, I don't think there was any panic, and we make a h**l of a play in the overtime to score the winner."
Columbus Blue Jackets though can be proud of their single point from this game. Their season has not been kind to them but their fighting spirit lives on.
The Blue Jackets maybe bottom of the Western Conference but the players have not let that fact dim their performances. Columbus came back twice in the game with the final equaliser coming just a minute before the end of the third period.
They lost out in overtime but not without giving some shocks to the Eastern Conference leaders.
Centre Derick Brassard felt that their 6-1 drubbing at the hands of Chicago Blackhawks just the day before played a role in some tired legs at the end, but praised the Rangers performance.
"They were all over us right from the start. We played last night, and they were working hard. I think they are one of the best teams we've played against."
Rangers Centre Brad Richards scored the game’s first goal late in the first period. At 17:49 Richards took a pass from Carl Hagelin and with a brilliant effort shot the puck past Blue Jackets goaltender Steve Mason.
Brassard equalised for Columbus five minutes into the second period on the power play after combining well with Antoine Vermette.
New York though went on the attack once again and it took a fortunate goal to put them back in front. Dan Girardi let lose a powerful shot that missed the net and caromed off the side boards but unluckily for goaltender Mason, the puck dropped in front of
Artem Anisimov who made no mistake from close range.
It took a desperate effort of Blue Jackets captain Rick Nash to bring Columbus level late in the third period and send the game into overtime.
New York Rangers though did not hang back in overtime and forward Derek Stepan scored the winner just 22-seconds in.
The Rangers will now face the Pittsburgh Penguins at home on Tuesday, while the Blue Jackets will face another tough game against San Jose Sharks.
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