NHL: Blue Jackets blow four-goal lead, hold on for overtime win vs. Rangers

Kiril Marchenko scored his second goal of the game just 64 seconds into overtime, leading the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets to a 5-4 victory over the New York Rangers on Monday night. The win snapped Columbus' first losing streak under new coach Rick Bowness.

Marchenko opened the scoring with a power-play goal in the first period and assisted Adam Fantilli on another goal before the Blue Jackets allowed four goals in the third period. Columbus recovered in overtime when Marchenko cut down the left side and slid a shot from the left circle off goalie Igor Shesterkin's pad and inside the left post.

Sean Monahan scored a short-handed goal early in the second period on a 2-on-1, and Mathieu Olivier added another before the Rangers mounted their comeback. Charlie Coyle contributed two assists as Columbus improved to 11-2-1 since Bowness replaced Dean Evason on Jan. 12.

Goalie Elvis Merzlikins allowed four goals on 17 shots in the third period but finished with 29 saves overall. For New York, Vladislav Gavrikov and rookie Gabe Perreault scored 24 seconds apart in the opening minute of the third, Will Borgen added a goal at 12:52, and Perreault tied the game with 4:46 left in regulation. J.T. Miller also had a goal disallowed early in the second period. Shesterkin allowed five goals on 28 shots as the Rangers fell to 3-11-3 in their past 17 games.

The Blue Jackets scored early, with Fantilli redirecting a Marchenko pass 5:50 into the game. Marchenko then gave Columbus a 2-0 lead on a shot from above the right circle after a cross-ice pass from Ivan Provorov. Monahan’s short-handed goal and Olivier’s strike extended the lead before the Rangers rallied in the third. Gavrikov and Perreault scored within seconds to bring New York within reach, and Borgen’s goal off a scramble tied it before overtime.

Marchenko’s overtime heroics sealed the comeback victory for Columbus.

-Field Level Media/Reuters