Panarin scores first goal with Blue Jackets, helps defeat Rangers

COLUMBUS -- Artemi Panarin scored the game-winner in the third period, and Sergei Bobrovsky made 37 saves for the Columbus Blue Jackets in a 3-1 win against the New York Rangers at Nationwide Arena on Friday.

Panarin gave the Blue Jackets a 2-1 lead at 7:25 of the third period with the forward's first goal since being acquired in a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks on June 23. Columbus had a 12-1 lead in shots in the period at that point.
Bobrovsky, the 2017 Vezina Trophy winner, made 18 saves in the second period and has allowed two goals in three games this season.
WATCH: All Rangers vs. Blue Jackets highlights
Columbus (3-1-0) trailed 1-0 when Seth Jones scored the tying goal late in the second period.
"That game could have been out of sight before the third period if we don't have the goaltending we had tonight," Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella said.
The Rangers (1-4-0) are off to their worst start since 2013-14, when they had the same record through five games.
"We're obviously going through a tough stretch right now," Rangers captain Ryan McDonagh said. "It's pretty evident we're almost finding ways to lose games here as opposed to finding ways to win games."

Lukas Sedlak scored into an empty net with six seconds remaining in the third period after coming out of the penalty box.
Jones had an assist, and defense partner Zach Werenski had two assists.
Kevin Hayes scored, and Henrik Lundqvist made 40 saves, 16 in the third period, for the Rangers.
"He was phenomenal tonight as always," Jones said of Lundqvist. "We had a lot of chances in and around the paint, around the hash marks and he stoned us cold. That's what he does against us every year. [Bobrovsky] does that every night for us too, makes big saves and keeps us in games."
Hayes scored at 14:35 of the first period for a 1-0 lead eight seconds after his slashing penalty ended. Hayes got the puck after Jones turned it over in the neutral zone and scored from the right circle with a low shot past Bobrovsky's glove.
Jones tied the game 1-1 at 19:14 of the second. His first goal of the season came off a shot from the right wall that deflected off the outstretched leg of Rangers forward Mika Zibanejad.

"I'm not saying I deserved the bounce, but the way the first period started I needed something to keep me going," Jones said.
Zibanejad had his four-game goal streak to start the season end. He tied the Rangers record held by teammate Rick Nash (2014-15).
Blue Jackets rookie forward Sonny Milano had his three-game goal streak to begin the season end. He shares the Columbus record with Kristian Huselius (2010-11).

Goal of the game

Panarin's score was the type of dynamic play the Blue Jackets expected to see when they traded for him. He dangled around two Rangers in the neutral zone, then left defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk hanging at the right circle before shooting the puck past Lundqvist. "He does it all the time in practice and it's fun to watch," Werenski said. "You never know what he's going to do, honestly. He's so creative."

Save of the game

Lundqvist stopped Alex Wennberg with 44 seconds left in the first period. Columbus had sustained pressure, and Josh Anderson found Wennberg alone moving down the slot. Lundqvist stood his ground and made the save to keep the Rangers ahead 1-0.

Highlight of the game

Milano showed his puck-handling ability in tight space in the second period when he skated out of the right corner to go behind the net, then moved into the left faceoff circle and headed back to the right side. He threw a pass back to Werenski, and Lundqvist snared his shot with his glove.

They said it

"Again tonight we didn't play 60 minutes. They get that first goal that deflected off us and we didn't respond. They totally dominated us in the third period." -- Rangers coach Alain Vigneault
"It's disappointing only in the start. We've got to make this a hard place to play. There's no excuse for our start tonight. That's on us as players." -- Blue Jackets captain Nick Foligno

Need to know

New York went 0 for 4 on the power play. Columbus went 0 for 3. … Foligno played his 700th NHL game. … Columbus rookie defenseman Gabriel Carlsson left the game in the third period with an upper-body injury.

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What's next

Rangers: Host the New Jersey Devils on Saturday (7 p.m. ET, MSG, MSG+, NHL.TV)
Blue Jackets:At the Minnesota Wild on Saturday (8 p.m. ET; FS-N, FS-O, NHL.TV)