Blue Jackets bring pressure-based mindset into meeting with Rangers
The Columbus Blue Jackets are on a 10-game point streak (6-0-4) as they prepare to host the New York Rangers on Thursday night.
That run and a 17-2-4 record in the past 23 games have put the Blue Jackets on the brink of a playoff position. Columbus (35-21-11, 81 points) sits one point back of both the Boston Bruins and the Detroit Red Wings, who occupy the two Eastern Conference wild-card spots.
"Our pressure has been something to reckon with in the past two months," forward Mathieu Olivier said after Columbus' 5-1 win over the visiting Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday night.
Charlie Coyle led the Blue Jackets with a goal and three assists for a career high-tying 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 as of late, I can't forget the fact that we are a really, really good team, too, and I think sometimes that can get overlooked. Maybe we're not in a playoff position, 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 had two assists each vs. Carolina. Jet Greaves made 28 saves to extend his personal point streak to 10 games (8-0-2).
"Tonight, against a team like that 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 obviously be competitive," Olivier said. "It just proves that we're a club that can play with anyone."
Heinen netted the 100th goal of his career.
Marchment has 12 goals since being acquired by the Seattle Kraken on Dec. 19. That is the most goals for a player in his first 25 games with the Blue Jackets in franchise history. He surpassed Kirill Marchenko, who scored 11 goals in his first 25 games with Columbus in 2022-23.
Fantilli has 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 the Blue Jackets.
The Rangers (28-32-8, 64 points) lost their second straight contest, after a season-high four-game winning streak, on Wednesday night, taking a 6-3 home loss to the New Jersey Devils.
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," New York coach Mike Sullivan said. "We pushed in the third period, but it's hard to win games when you only play a period."
Mika Zibanejad, Vladislav Gavrikov and Conor Sheary scored for the Rangers, and Jonathan Quick stopped 33 shots.
"I think in the first 40 minutes, there wasn't a lot to like there," New York captain J.T. Miller said. "A credit to the Devils. They came out with a lot of pace and tempo, and we gave some of their players too much time and space. I just thought we weren't as physical as we have been."
The Rangers lost two players to injuries on Wednesday night.
Defenseman Urho Vaakanainen exited in the first period with an upper-body injury, and center Noah Laba left in the second period due to a lower-body injury.
Sullivan did not give an update on either player after the game.