Kent Johnson scores 3:26 into overtime as Columbus Blue Jackets beat New York Rangers 1-0

By Vancouver Television Sports Desk

COLUMBUS — Kent Johnson scored at 3:26 of overtime to give the Columbus Blue Jackets a 1-0 victory over the New York Rangers at Nationwide Arena on Saturday. The overtime goal came after Johnson received a cross-ice pass from Zach Werenski, then finished with a one-timer from above the right face-off circle.

The win marked a bounce-back for Columbus, which entered the game having lost two straight. The Blue Jackets had fallen 7-3 to the Florida Panthers on Tuesday before going into Saturday’s contest with a fresh need to steady their results.

New York, meanwhile, also had its attention on ending a short skid. The Rangers lost their second consecutive game after dropping a 7-1 decision to the New Jersey Devils on Thursday, carrying that momentum into their meeting with Columbus.

Between the pipes, Columbus goaltender Jet Greaves made 29 saves to earn the shutout in a game that ultimately ended without a regulation goal. Dylan Garand finished with 29 saves for the Rangers, keeping New York in the game before Johnson’s overtime finish decided the outcome.

Special teams played a central supporting role for the Blue Jackets. After tying a team record by allowing four power-play goals at home against the Panthers, Columbus responded by going 3-for-3 on the penalty kill against the Rangers, with all three kills occurring in the third period.

The Rangers, for their part, were also effective when a penalty situation turned against them. New York went 3-for-3 on its own penalty kill in the game and improved its season kill rate to 29-for-31, or 93.5 percent.

With the game resolved in overtime, Columbus secured the two points while preventing New York from extending its streak of recent losses. The 1-0 final also underscored how tightly contested the matchup was, with both teams’ goaltending keeping the score level until Johnson’s sudden finish.