Merzlikins stops 38, Blue Jackets end Rangers’ 10-game winning streak

COLUMBUS -- Elvis Merzlikins made 38 saves, and the Columbus Blue Jackets ended the New York Rangers’ 10-game winning streak with a 4-2 victory at Nationwide Arena on Sunday.

New York finished one win shy of setting a franchise record after tying the mark with a 2-1 victory at the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday. The Rangers also won 10 straight from Dec. 19, 1939, to Jan. 13, 1940, and Jan. 19 to Feb. 10, 1973.

Rangers forward Chris Kreider said the focus was not on the record.

“Two points, divisional opponent,” he said. “You never want to lose a hockey game, especially since we’ve been playing well. Points matter, especially this point of the season.”

Dmitri Voronkov, Kirill Marchenko and Jack Roslovic each had a goal and an assist for the Blue Jackets (19-28-10), who had lost four of their previous six (2-4-0). Johnny Gaudreau had two assists.

“We are growing,” Columbus coach Pascal Vincent said. “We just learn from the past. We've had more success recently. There is more confidence. It's a team that is learning and tonight was the result of those setbacks. Hopefully we're going to keep growing. We locked it down in the third and it was good to see.”

Artemi Panarin and Adam Edstrom scored, and Jonathan Quick made 37 saves for the Rangers (39-17-3), who hadn't lost since Jan. 26.

“We needed to win tonight,” New York coach Peter Laviolette said. “There’s no excuses with the schedule. Everybody catches back-to-backs. I expect us to handle that, and tonight it wasn’t our best. We’ll learn from it.”

Voronkov gave the Blue Jackets a 1-0 lead at 4:34 of the first period, scoring with a wrist shot from the edge of the left circle off a pass from Marchenko on the power play. It was the rookie forward’s fourth goal in his past six games.

“About two weeks ago he said he was going to pass more and play smarter, and it looks like he is doing that,” Voronkov said of Marchenko through a translator.

Panarin tied it 1-1 at 14:22 with a sharp-angle shot over the left shoulder of Merzlikins. It was his 33rd goal this season, an NHL career high. 

“The last couple of games our starts haven’t been very good,” Kreider said. “They get the power-play goal, we fall behind. Obviously, you want to dominate games from when the puck drops.

“We’re capable of that but we’re also aware we’re playing good hockey, getting every team’s best and we have to be ready for that.”

Marchenko gave Columbus a 2-1 lead 18 seconds into the second period, tucking the puck inside the left post.

Edstrom tied it 2-2 at 11:11 when his pass deflected in off the skate of Columbus defenseman Jake Bean.

Roslovic put the Blue Jackets back ahead 3-2 at 11:57, scoring on the rush off a cross-ice pass from Gaudreau.

“To give one up that quick hurts, but the overall period they were moving out of our O-zone and getting those rushes,” Rangers defenseman Adam Fox said.

Ivan Provorov extended it to 4-2 at 18:35 with a wrist shot from the right circle on another rush.

Merzlikins then made the lead stand by making 18 saves in the third period.

“Personally, I don't think the first was all that great, but we stepped up in the second and did a job tonight,” Roslovic said. “You’ve got to tip your hat to Elvis at the end.”

NOTES: The Rangers lost for the first time (9-1-0) on the second half of a back-to-back this season. … Panarin has 16 points (four goals, 12 assists) in his past 11 games. … Quick had his four-game winning streak end. … After scoring his first NHL goal in his fourth game Saturday, Rangers forward Matt Rempe got his first assist on Edstrom's goal. … The Blue Jackets ended an opponents’ double-digit winning streak for the second time in their history. The other came on Dec. 31, 2017, when they ended the Minnesota Wild's 12-game streak. ... Forward Alexander Nylander, who was acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins for Emil Bemstrom on Thursday, made his Blue Jackets debut. He had 11:23 of ice time and two shot attempts.