Columbus Got the Hell Out of Dodge After Stealing Two Points From Bruins

It was a nasty game, and it was by no means Columbus' best of the season. Even Head Coach John Tortorella thought it was a sloppy game. So after the team won in overtime, they ran out of there fast and headed straight to New York.

It was back and forth between the Bruins and Jackets last night. Columbus scored first with a quick shot from Boone Jenner and his line-mate Thomas Vanek. Columbus got two power plays in that period, but couldn't capitalize on them and barely even got any shots off. Boston was the same way with their two power plays as well. So an uneventful first period led to a gruesome second.

Just under five minutes into period two, Ryan Donato scored his first goal of the season and as a Bruin. The rookie was just recently recalled after Boston suffered some major injuries. About a minute and a half after that, Brad Marchand scored his 31st goal of the season, and Riley Nash went on to score Boston's third goal of the night. Three unanswered goals later, and it was time for the third.

Thomas Vanek scored early on to tie the game, and Artemi Panarin was able to give Columbus the lead at 11:30. However, Boston made quick work of the puck and tied the score with a goal of their own just 20 seconds after Panarin. The game remained tied until the end of regulation and the score had to be settled in sudden-death overtime.

It felt like it was back in forth between the two clubs. Turnovers every which way, and some brutal hits. Everyone watched with baited breath as the clubs fought. And then, it was over in a flash. Cam Atkinson slipped the puck right past Tuukka Rask and ended the game three minutes in. The first and third stars went to Donato and Marchand, while Cam was able to clinch the second star.

Now, after stealing the two points away from Boston, Columbus headed to New York where they will take on the Rangers at Madison Square Garden.

The Rangers currently are outside of a wildcard spot, and most likely will not be heading to the playoffs. They're sitting with 72 points which is 10 points behind the New Jersey Devils who occupy the second wildcard position. It's not impossible for them to make it, just highly improbable.

New York hasn't played since Saturday where they lost against the St. Louis Blues 3-4 in overtime. Mika Zibanejad tied the game in the second period, but St. Louis' Nikita Soshnikov mad sure the tie was short lived. Mats Zuccarello and Zibanejad put the Rangers in the lead, but with a goal from Alex Pietrangelo in the third, the game had to be settled in overtime. Brayden Schenn made quick work of the additional five minutes, and won the matchup for St. Louis a minute in.

This is the fourth and final time Columbus and New York will meet. Columbus took home the victory in the first two meetings at Nationwide, but then the Rangers won November 6 at Madison Square Garden in the third matchup.

Sergei Bobrovsky and Henrik Lundqvist are expected to start in net tonight after Bob backed Korpi against Boston and King Henry backed Alexandar Georgiev against St. Louis.

Look for other changes to the lineup tonight as Tortorella switched up some of the pairings against Boston. Nutivaara played with Johnson, Murray with Werenski, and placed Pierre-Luc Dubois at center on the second line and replacing him with Captain Nick Foligno on the top line. The Lumberjackets (Cole and Savard) remained together.

CBJ Projected Lineup

Artemi Panarin - Nick Foligno - Cam Atkinson

Sonny Milano - Pierre-Luc Dubois - Oliver Bjorkstrand

Boone Jenner - Alexander Wennberg - Thomas Vanek

Matt Calvert - Brandon Dubinsky - Mark Letestu

Zach Werenski - Ryan Murray

Ian Cole - David Savard

Jack Johnson - Markus Nutivaara

Sergei Bobrovsky

New York Rangers Projected Lineup

Chris Kreider - Mika Zibanejad - Jesper Fast

Ryan Spooner - Kevin Hayes - Mats Zuccarello

Jimmy Vesey - Vladislav Namestnikov - Pavel Buchnevich

Cody McLeod - David Desharnais - Paul Carey

Brady Skjei - John Gilmour

Marc Staal - Neak Pionk

Rob O'Gara - Ryan Sproul

Henrik Lundqvist