Rangers erase 4-goal deficit, still lose 5-4 in OT to Blue Jackets: takeaways

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Maybe in another season, erasing a four-goal deficit in the third period would catapult the New York Rangers to victory. But not this season. After climbing out of a 4-0 hole, the Rangers lost to the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-4 in overtime Monday at Madison Square Garden.

Kirill Marchenko’s second goal of the night, at 1:04 of OT, denied the win that the Rangers and their fans most definitely felt was going to be theirs. That’s because, out of nowhere really, the Rangers were flying in the third period, scoring two goals early and two goals late, to flip the script on the Blue Jackets.

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But in the 3-on-3 overtime, Gabe Perreault missed the net off the rush, and Vincent Trocheck got caught in the offensive zone, when Columbus broke the other way on an odd-man rush. With only Vladislav Gavrikov back to help defend the rush, Igor Shesterkin failed to stop Marchenko’s wrist shot that clipped his blocker for the short-side game-winner.

Shesterkin finished with 23 saves, after stopping all eight shots he faced in the critical third period. Perreault scored two goals, including the one which tied the score 4-4 with 4:46 remaining in regulation. Gavrikov started the comeback with his career-high 10th goal just 30 seconds into the third period.

The Rangers (23-29-8) didn’t show much life in the first period, especially after surrendering the game-opening goal at 5:50. They had three shots on goal at that point, and managed just one more the rest of the period.

Adam Fantilli got behind Gavrikov to redirect a pass from Marchenko off the rush into the net to open the scoring with his 16th goal of the season, extending his goal-scoring streak to three straight games.

Much of the rest of the period was a snooze fest, but the Blue Jackets did find a way to double their lead at 15:32. Marchenko’s one-timer from the left circle deflected off Matthew Robertson’s stick and beat Shesterkin short side for a power-play goal that made it 2-0.

The Rangers got their feet moving in the second period, and had two scoring chances in the first minute. Mika Zibanejad got a shot through that Elvis Merzlikins stopped but couldn’t control the rebound. Perreault was there to try and jam the puck home, but the Blue Jackets goalie denied him.

Then at 2:14, Columbus captain Boone Jenner was sent off for a tripping penalty, and 50 seconds later the Rangers thought they cut the deficit in half. J.T. Miller buried what appeared to be a power-play goal from the right circle; but the Blue Jackets challenged for goaltender interference. And video review upheld the challenge, wiping the Rangers goal off the board, after it was determined that Alexis Lafreniere interfered with Merzlikins by slightly elbowing him in the head when moving through the top of the blue paint.

The Rangers being the Rangers these days, they allowed Monahan to score a short-handed goal just 23 seconds later, an absolute backbreaker at 3:27. It was the ninth shorty allowed by the Rangers this season.

Mathieu Olivier beat Shesterkin far side with a right-wing snap shot off the rush at 11:54 to put the Blue Jackets up 4-0.

Left for dead after the 40 minutes of hockey, the Rangers came alive by scoring two goals in the first minute of the third period to get back into the game. Gavrikov buried a Lafreniere feed out in front 30 seconds into the period. Then 24 seconds later, Columbus defenseman Denton Mateychuk misplayed the puck after a face-off win by the Blue Jackets, and Perreault wasted no time rifling the loose puck past Merzlikins to make it 4-2.

Shesterkin kept his team in it at 6:22, when he aggressively dove out of his crease to poke the puck off the stick of Miles Wood, after the Columbus forward blew past Brendan Brisson.

The Rangers rewarded their goalie by pulling even with two more goals. They scored off a scramble, with the puck deflecting off Will Borgen’s skate and over the goal line at 12:50; and Perreault tied it at 15:14, finishing off a perfect feed from Borgen on a rush up ice.

But on this night, in this season, the epic comeback was only good enough for one point in the standings, after Marchenko finished off this wild contest in overtime.

Key takeaways after Rangers lose 5-4 to Blue Jackets in overtime

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Not a complete game

The third-period comeback was awesome. The Rangers skated hard and fast, won numerous puck battles, drove to the net, and looked the part of a really good hockey team. They out-chanced the Blue Jackets 13-5, including 6-0 in high-danger scoring opportunities, had an expected goal share of 81.5 percent, per Natural Stat Trick, and scored four straight goals to the tie the game and force overtime.

“We talked about no quit. Proud of the way we kept pushing,” Miller said afterward.

But let’s be real. Had the Rangers actually, you know, started on time and played a full 60 minutes more similarly to how they competed over the final 20 of regulation, they would’ve won this game handily. Columbus was without its leading scorer and minute-munching defenseman Zach Werenski, yet led 4-0 after 40 minutes. There was minimal pushback by the Rangers, until they jumped the visitors in the third period. Keep in mind that Columbus has now been outscored 76-54 in third periods this season.

So, yes, the comeback was awesome. But the first 40 minutes were as much the reason they lost as Marchenko’s goal in OT.

“Things haven’t gone as smooth as anyone has liked, but definitely proud of the group for that third period and, honestly, just giving the fans something to cheer for, something to get excited for,” Adam Fox said, before adding, “We want to be able to deliver that for a full 60 minutes, not just one period at a time.”

Gabe breaks out on cue

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Before the game, coach Mike Sullivan gave a glowing commentary about Perreault’s play in the top six, even though the rookie hadn’t recorded a point in six games, nor a goal in 10. The kid looked the part in the third period, scoring twice and adding an assist to establish a career high with three points.

His first goal was an absolute snipe. And the way he jumped on that loose puck and fired immediately on net was an example of his growing confidence. He then hopped into a goalmouth scrum to push the puck where it caromed off Borgen and in to make it 4-3. And then the 20-year-old skated right down the middle to beat Merzlikins five-hole and tie the game, when Borgen returned the favor by setting him up.

If this is a sign of things to come, at least something good will come out of this overall dismal season for the Rangers.

“I’ve been getting a lot of chances the last five, 10 games or so and obviously it’s nice to see a couple go in tonight,” Perreault said postgame. “But you hate losing and it sucks to come back like that and end up losing.”

Turning point

Miller’s disallowed goal in the second period felt like a real turning point in this game. Instead of trailing 2-1, the Rangers soon were down 3-0 after Columbus scored short-handed right after play resumed following the video review. And the home team and its crowd really fell silent afterward the rest of that second period.

Columbus likely believed there were two reasons to have this goal reviewed. Lafreniere did make some contact with the head of Merzlikins. And the Rangers forward also slightly clipped skates with the Blue Jackets goalie, accidentally not allowing him to push off fully toward where the shot was coming from.

It wasn’t cut and dry. But the Rangers had one of these go their way on video review in the 3-2 comeback victory against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday, and that disallowed goal helped them win the game.

Last call?

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So, was this Trocheck’s last game wearing the Rangers sweater? And last home game at Madison Square Garden?

The NHL Trade Deadline arrives at 3 p.m. ET on Friday, and the Rangers likely will move Trocheck before then. The 32-year-old center said as much after the morning skate Monday. So, there’s a chance he’ll be traded before the Rangers host the Toronto Maple Leafs at MSG on Thursday, or will be held out of the game for roster management reasons.

If either is true, his final moment on home ice at The Garden is diving on his belly trying to break up a pass that never came on Marchenko’s game-winning goal.

Trocheck assisted on Perreault’s second goal, won 10 of 19 face-offs, recorded six shot attempts and two on goal, and logged 20:45 TOI.

Trocheck also was right in the middle of a third-period post-whistle scrum behind the Columbus net. Because of course he was.

Let’s see if this was his Rangers swan song.

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