NHL: Blue Jackets bring pressure-based mindset into meeting with Rangers

The Columbus Blue Jackets are riding a 10-game point streak (6-0-4) as they prepare to host the New York Rangers on Thursday night. Their strong run, combined with a 17-2-4 record over the past 23 games, has put Columbus on the verge of a playoff spot. The Blue Jackets (35-21-11, 81 points) sit just one point behind the Boston Bruins and the Detroit Red Wings, who hold the two Eastern Conference wild-card positions.

“Our pressure has been something to reckon with in the past two months,” forward Mathieu Olivier said after Columbus’ 5-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday night.

Charlie Coyle led the Blue Jackets with a goal and three assists, tying his career high with four points.

“They’re above us. They’re a really good team for a good reason,” Coyle said of the Hurricanes. “But the way we’ve been playing lately, I can’t forget that we are a really, really good team too. Sometimes that can get overlooked. Maybe we’re not in a playoff position yet, but the way we’ve been playing, we have to have that confidence.”

Olivier, Mason Marchment, Danton Heinen, and defenseman Denton Mateychuk also scored, while Adam Fantilli and Cole Sillinger each had two assists. Goalie Jet Greaves made 28 saves to extend his personal point streak to 10 games (8-0-2).

“Tonight, against a team that’s been at the top of the Eastern Conference for a long time, just proves that our team has taken the step needed to make the playoffs and compete,” Olivier said. “It proves that we can play with anyone.”

Heinen reached the milestone of 100 career goals, while Marchment has scored 12 goals since joining the Blue Jackets on Dec. 19, the most in franchise history for a player’s first 25 games. He surpassed Kirill Marchenko, who had 11 goals in his first 25 games in 2022-23. Fantilli has recorded 14 points (six goals, eight assists) in his past 12 games.

“They looked like the more desperate, ready-to-go team,” Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal said about Columbus.

The Rangers (28-32-8, 64 points) dropped their second straight game following a season-high four-game winning streak, losing 6-3 at home to the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday. New York led 1-0 in the first period and tied the game 2-2 early in the second.

“We weren’t good enough all night long,” Rangers coach Mike Sullivan said. “We pushed in the third period, but it’s hard to win games when you only play one period.”

Mika Zibanejad, Vladislav Gavrikov, and Conor Sheary scored for New York, while Jonathan Quick stopped 33 shots.

“I think in the first 40 minutes, there wasn’t a lot to like,” captain J.T. Miller said. “Credit to the Devils—they came out with pace and tempo, and we gave some of their players too much time and space. We just weren’t as physical as we have been.”

The Rangers also lost two players to injury during the game. Defenseman Urho Vaakanainen exited in the first period with an upper-body injury, and center Noah Laba left in the second period with a lower-body injury. Sullivan did not provide updates on either player after the game.

—Field Level Media/Reuters