Stepan, Rangers take down Blue Jackets in OT
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New York, NY (SportsNetwork.com) - Derek Stepan tied the game late in regulation then won it with 49.6 seconds remaining in overtime, as the New York Rangers stopped the hottest team in the NHL with a 4-3 decision over Columbus at Madison Square Garden.
Martin St. Louis and Dan Girardi also tallied for the Rangers, who pulled into a tie for the second-most points recorded in a single season with 109.
It was previously accomplished in 1970-71, 1971-72 and 2011-12, with the Blueshirts reaching the Stanley Cup Finals in the middle campaign.
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Henrik Lundqvist came away with a 29-save victory.
Matt Calvert, Marko Dano and Brandon Dubinsky produced offense for the Blue Jackets, whose league-best and franchise-record win streak was halted at nine games.
Sergei Bobrovsky took the loss despite 38 saves, as his team hasn't lost in regulation since March 15 (9-0-1).
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"It makes it difficult. I don't know if it's because we won nine in a row or how we lost this game with a lead in New York. I'm not sure," noted Blue Jackets head coach Todd Richards. "Whenever you lose, it's disappointing and you could tell it still means a lot to the guys in the room."
Bobrovsky robbed Girardi twice from the top of the crease with 55.4 seconds remaining, yet after a full shift spent in the Columbus zone following an offensive-zone faceoff loss, Stepan tallied with 27.5 seconds showing on a shot from the left side thanks to a pass by Chris Kreider.
The hosts peppered Bobrovsky with five shots in the extra session, while Artem Anisimov had Lundqvist down before lifting a potential game winner high over the crossbar.
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Stepan ended the contest by following up a Keith Yandle rebound, snaking around a defender and scoring from the left side.
"I felt like it was a good test for me and for us. They're a really good team. "they're fast. If they didn't have the injuries during the season to key guys, I think they'd be in the playoffs," Lundqvist said of the opposition.
St. Louis deposited the game's first goal at 5:38 of the first period, taking a Kevin Hayes whiff and scoring from the slot.
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Columbus evened things as Jeremy Morin stripped Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh deep into the New York zone, carried behind the net and centered for a tap-in by Calvert at 17:20.
Girardi lit the lamp 36 seconds into the second period, then Dano countered by sweeping home a rebound at 14:42.
Thanks to a Nick Foligno pass between the circles on a rush, Dubinsky beat Lundqvist at 8:14 of the third and the Blue Jackets led for the first time, 3-2,
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Game Notes
The Rangers' all-time record for points in a single season is 112, set in 1993-94, also the year of the franchise's last Stanley Cup victory ... Columbus also saw its team-record eight-game road win streak come to an end ... Dano has 12 points in last 12 games (4G, 8A) ... New York can clinch the Presidents' Trophy with a win over the Devils on Tuesday.