NHL: Blue Jackets keep rolling at Rangers' expense

Adam Fantilli scored twice, surpassing 20 goals this season, as the host Columbus Blue Jackets defeated the New York Rangers 6-3 on Thursday night.

Boone Jenner contributed a goal and an assist, while Isac Lundestrom, Conor Garland, and defenseman Damon Severson also found the net for the Blue Jackets. Columbus extended its point streak to 11 games (7-0-4). Defenseman Zach Werenski added three assists, and goaltender Jet Greaves stopped 22 shots.

For the Rangers, Mika Zibanejad and Alexis Lafreniere each had a goal and an assist, and Vincent Trocheck also scored. New York dropped its third straight game, with Igor Shesterkin making 31 saves.

Lafreniere's power-play goal, just 50 seconds into the third period, cut the Blue Jackets' lead to 4-3. He tipped in a shot from defenseman Adam Fox for his 20th goal of the season. Severson made it 5-3 at 6:12 of the third by converting a rebound off the rush. Fantilli sealed the 6-3 win with an empty-net goal with 2:54 remaining.

In the second period, Jenner broke a 2-2 tie 7:04 in by scoring off his own rebound. Fantilli added a power-play goal with 4:35 left in the period, tipping in a shot from Werenski for his 20th goal of the season. Earlier, Zibanejad had tied the game 2-2 at 4:44 of the second period with a shot from above the left circle.

Columbus had taken a 2-1 lead by scoring twice in the final 5:30 of the first period. Lundestrom tied the game 1-1 with 5:27 remaining in the opening period, and Garland was credited with a goal with 59 seconds left when his shot from the right circle deflected off New York defenseman Matthew Robertson and bounced off Braden Schneider’s head into the net. Garland now has five goals in seven games since joining the Blue Jackets from the Vancouver Canucks.

New York initially took a 1-0 lead 5:41 into the game on a short-handed breakaway goal by Trocheck.

The Rangers were without defenseman Urho Vaakanainen (upper-body injury) and forward Noah Laba (lower-body injury).

-Field Level Media/Reuters