Rangers defeat Blue Jackets for 3rd straight win, gain in Metropolitan

NEW YORK -- Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko scored in the same game for the first time as teammates, and the New York Rangers defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 6-2 at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday.

The Rangers got Tarasenko in a trade from the St. Louis Blues on Feb. 9. They acquired Kane in a three-team trade with the Chicago Blackhawks and Arizona Coyotes on Feb. 28. It was their 13th game together.
"I think both of them would like to be more involved in the offense, more points, but I'm excited with what I saw tonight," New York coach Gerard Gallant said. "I mean, they made some great plays. The first period they were outstanding, and a lot of good things happened. I know they're going to be there. They're both playoff experienced guys, both won Stanley Cups. They've been great and our team is a lot better with them on our team, definitely."

Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad each had a goal and an assist, Adam Fox and
Alexis Lafreniere
each had two assists, and Igor Shesterkin made 28 saves for the Rangers (44-20-10), who have won three in a row and are 9-1-1 since March 9.
New York, which clinched a berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Monday, moved within two points of the New Jersey Devils for second place in the Metropolitan Division. The Rangers can move ahead of the Devils with a regulation win against them at Prudential Center on Thursday.
"We wanted to take care of business tonight and set up the opportunity to have that chance," Kane said. "MSG is an amazing place to play. I think it's a big advantage to have home ice. We have that in front of us now if we do what we need to do."
Johnny Gaudreau had a goal and an assist, and Michael Hutchinson made 30 saves for the Blue Jackets (23-43-7).
Columbus, which has been eliminated from playoff contention, has allowed four or more goals in 12 straight games, going 3-8-1.
But because of injuries and trades, its lineup featured nine skaters with fewer than 100 games of NHL experience, including forward Trey Fix-Wolansky in his 12th game, forward Hunter McKown in his third and defenseman Billy Sweezey his second.
"You know what, a 6-2 game, there's not many times you go, 'Wow, good effort,' but it was a pretty solid effort all around," Blue Jackets coach Brad Larsen said. "They battle. The whole game they battled really hard. It's a head scratcher. You look at it, 6-2, it's not that you're satisfied, but there's not many guys where you can say they didn't give it tonight. They gave it. You tip your hat to their goalie."
The Rangers got an even-strength goal from each of their top three lines in a span of 2:37 in the first period.
Filip Chytil, the third-line center, gave them a 1-0 lead at 5:23, scoring off a rebound from in front.
Tarasenko, the first-line right wing, made it 2-0 at 6:50 with a redirection in the slot off a pass from Braden Schneider, and Kane, the second-line right wing, beat Hutchinson with a shot into the top left corner from the left face-off circle 1:10 later to give New York a 3-0 lead.

Shesterkin had to make point-blank saves on Adam Boqvist, Kent Johnson and Gaudreau in the first 3:15.
Kirill Marchenko made it 3-1 with a power-play goal from the left circle at 11:45, and Gaudreau scored from the right circle at 19:31 to cut it to 3-2.
"We could have had two or three more in that period," Gaudreau said. "Obviously, it was great to fight back and get it to a one-goal game, but I think we could have easily gone into that second period with a lead. It's unfortunate, but their goalie played well."
Gallant said the Rangers' focus might not have been as laser-like as they want it to be, especially knowing they clinched a playoff berth Monday and they were playing the team that is last in the Eastern Conference.
"We can say all we want to mentally prepare the same way, do the same things, but you look at their lineup and there's a lot of kids you didn't know," Gallant said. "We knew that going in, but we've got to do what we do well. You've got to play the same game. It's hard. I've been there as a player, and I've been there as a coach a lot. They're tough games to play. They got back in the game and when it was 3-2, I thought we played a lot better. That's what's important."
Panarin scored a power-play goal from the right circle at 17:36 of the second period to give New York a 4-2 lead, and Zibanejad scored with a one-timer from the left circle off a pass from Panarin at 14:27 of the third period to make it 5-2.
Vincent Trocheck scored into the empty net at 16:21 for the 6-2 final.
NOTES: Marchenko's goal was his 20th of the season, tying the Blue Jackets record for most goals in a season by a rookie set by Pierre-Luc Dubois in 2017-18. Dubois scored 20 in 82 games; Marchenko has 20 in 50 games. … Zibanejad has 81 points (38 goals, 43 assists) in 74 games this season, tying his NHL season high he set in 81 games last season.