The New York Rangers are on fire, and their latest victory is turning heads across the NHL. In a thrilling shootout, the Rangers clinched their ninth road win of the season, edging out the Columbus Blue Jackets 2–1—a testament to their dominance away from home. But here’s where it gets even more impressive: this marks their third straight win overall and an astonishing sixth consecutive road victory, solidifying their position as a force to be reckoned with in the league.
The game, held at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, was a nail-biter from start to finish. J.T. Miller and Vincent Trocheck emerged as the shootout heroes, while Mika Zibanejad’s regulation goal—a rebound he buried at 6:30 of the second period—extended his point streak to three games. And this is the part most people miss: Zibanejad’s goal came during the game’s first power play, where the Blue Jackets failed to clear the puck, setting the stage for his clutch finish.
Igor Shesterkin was a wall in net, stopping 24 shots and helping the Rangers secure their third straight win against Columbus at Nationwide Arena, dating back to last season. On the other side, Dmitri Voronkov scored for the Blue Jackets, who had been riding a three-game home winning streak. Goaltender Jet Greaves made 31 saves in a valiant effort, marking coach Dean Evason’s 100th game behind the Columbus bench.
The momentum shifted dramatically in the second period when Mathieu Olivier’s fight with Sam Carrick at 15:57 sparked the Blue Jackets. After a slow start—Columbus didn’t record a shot on goal until seven minutes into the period—Voronkov tied the game just 37 seconds later with a power-play goal off Zach Werenski’s rebound. Kirill Marchenko’s secondary assist on the play extended his impressive point streak to 11 games.
Despite being outshot for most of the game, Columbus forced it into overtime, but Miller’s shootout winner sealed the deal for New York. Here’s the controversial part: While the Rangers’ road success is undeniable, some critics argue that their reliance on shootouts could be a weakness in the long run. What do you think? Is this team built for sustained success, or are they riding a wave that could crash come playoff time? Let us know in the comments below!
For those keeping score at home, the Rangers continue to climb the NHL standings, and their stats are worth a closer look. CHECK OUT THE LATEST NHL STANDINGS (https://sportstats.nypost.com/hockey/nhl/standings) AND RANGERS STATS (https://sportstats.nypost.com/hockey/nhl/teamstatistics/6) to see how this team stacks up against the rest of the league.
