New York Rangers @ Columbus Blue Jackets: Season 25 Game 18

It doesn't matter where the New York Rangers and Columbus Blue Jackets battle each other for points; it's going to be a fun, tight, and chippy game. Tonight was no different! Period 1 would conclude as it started with a 0-0 tie. The two teams would combine for just 14 total shots on goal; the home team Blue Jackets, could only call 4 of those shots their own. It was a slow start, but don't you worry, 5th Line, things picked up in Period 2. 

It is worth noting that in Period 1, Miles Wood would make awkward contact as he fell into the post of the visitor's goal. He'd be awarded a penalty shot against Igor Shesterkin, which would be saved. Let's hope that since he did finish the game, it'll just be a bad bruise and nothing more. 

The Rangers would get the first goal on the board after Damon Severson would be sent to the box for tripping Alexia Lafreniere. The penalty would be called at 4:12, and at 5:42, Mika Zibanejad would find the back of the net for goal six of his season. Former Blue Jacket Artemi Panarin would add his twelfth assist this season on the primary, while the secondary would become assist number thirteen for Adam Fox. At 14:00, the Rangers would get caught with too many away jerseys on the ice at once, and the Blue Jackets would make something out of their third power play of the night. Dimitri Voronkov would force the puck into the net for goal number seven of his season at 15:20! Not only would this goal tie the game at 1-1 and give Zach Werenski his ninth assist on the primary, but it would also give Kirill Marchenko his twelfth assist on the secondary, expanding his point streak to eleven games! At 15:57, Mathieu Olivier would finally get the fight he was looking for in Period 1 to bring Nationwide Arena to life. He would fight Rangers' Sam Carrick, and, no offense to Sam, but Mathieu definitely won this fight! The period would wrap with both men getting a five-minute major for fighting, and the game remaining tied 1-1. 

The Blue Jackets would act as if they had espresso in the locker room during the second intermission. This would be the first period I can comfortably say the Blue Jackets were stronger than the Rangers. That said, regulation wouldn't be enough, and that 1-1 tie would force overtime with each team getting a point while fighting for the second. 

A choppy overtime with many whistles would lead to a shootout. The Rangers would score first with a goal from Vincent Trocheck, but Kirill Marchenko would match this goal with one of his own. However, J. T. Miller would score a goal of his own and it would go down as the game-winner in the shootout for the Rangers as they'd win 2-1. The Blue Jackets do come away with a point, and this was as close a game as the score reflects. The final shots on goal count would be 32 for the visiting Rangers and 24 for the home Blue Jackets. 

The Third Star of the Game would go to J. T. Miller after he had the game-winning goal in the shootout. 

The Second Star of the Game would go to our goalie, Jet Greaves, after he stopped 31 of the Rangers 32 shots on his home net. This would equal out to a .969 save percentage. 

The First Star of the Game would be the other goalie on the ice tonight, Ranger's Igor Shesterkin after he stopped 23 of the home teams 24 shots on his visitors' net. This would give him a save percentage of .958. 

The Blue Jackets will play at home again on Monday night as the Montreal Canadians come to town. The puck will drop on this game at 7:30 p.m. 

Go CBJ!