Marchenko scores in OT, Blue Jackets top Rangers after blowing 4-goal lead in 3rd

NEW YORK -- Kirill Marchenko scored 1:04 into overtime, and the Columbus Blue Jackets overcame giving away a four-goal lead in the third period to defeat the New York Rangers 5-4 at Madison Square Garden on Monday.

Marchenko scored from the left face-off circle with a shot that went in off Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin. It was his second goal of the game. He also had an assist.

"It's just crazy, I'm a little shocked that they scored four," Marchenko said. "I tried to refresh … and just do my job on the ice. Overtime, new game. New game starts and one goal gives us two points. I just think about that. Tried to just forget about four goals."

Charlie Coyle had two assists, and Elvis Merzlikins made 29 saves for the Blue Jackets, who ended a two-game losing streak (0-1-1).

The Blue Jackets (30-21-8) are three points behind the Boston Bruins for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference.

They play the Nashville Predators at Nationwide Arena on Tuesday.

"We came into the rink and that was the focus, obviously, was get the two points, especially on the road," Blue Jackets coach Rick Bowness said. "A couple harsh reminders out there of how to play the game the right way and with the right level of desperation. That was missing at certain times, but give the guys credit, they found a way to get the two points and that's the most important thing."

The Rangers (23-29-8) scored four times in the third period but lost for the second time in three games (1-0-2) since the Olympic break and for the sixth time in seven games overall (1-4-2). 

Gabe Perreault scored twice and had an assist. Will Borgen had a goal and an assist, and Vladislav Gavrikov also scored. Shesterkin made 23 saves.

"I admire our fight," Rangers coach Mike Sullivan said. "We stayed in it. We kept pushing. That's what we talked about in between periods, just trying to build on each shift. It helps when you score on the first shift. It gives you some juice."

The Rangers started their comeback with two goals in the first minute of the third period; Gavrikov made it 4-1 at 30 seconds, and 24 seconds later Perreault scored off a turnover to cut it to 4-2.

"We knew they were going to come out hard," Bowness said. "The fans booed them off the ice after the second period. We were expecting that. So, I'd say we didn't handle it very well."

Columbus called a timeout after Perreault's goal, but the Rangers kept the pressure on and made it 4-3 on Borgen's goal at 12:52 off a netfront scramble with Shesterkin pulled for an extra skater because of a delayed penalty on Columbus.

"I thought we kind of fell back on our heels a little bit and got back into some bad habits," Blue Jackets forward Mathieu Olivier said.

Perreault then tied it 4-4 at 15:14, scoring off a pass from Borgen.

"We could have easily mailed it in and gone home and felt sorry for ourselves," Rangers defenseman Adam Fox said. "We know the position we're in. We know where we're at in the standings and everything. Definitely proud of the group's fight that period to battle back. Obviously, we'd love to win, but the resolve was definitely there and that's big for this group."

Adam Fantilli gave Columbus a 1-0 lead at 5:50 of the first period, scoring from below the right hash marks on a redirection of Marchenko's pass from the top of the left face-off circle.

Marchenko extended the lead to 2-0 with a power-play goal at 15:32.

The Rangers thought they made it 2-1 at 3:04 of the second period, when J.T. Miller appeared to score a power-play goal with a one-timer from the right circle. 

The Blue Jackets challenged for goalie interference and video review determined Alexis Lafreniere made contact with Merzlikins' head prior to Miller scoring, so the goal came off the board.

"I'm relying on Aron (Augustitus) and Cam (Briere), they're video coaches, they're watching it, and if they say challenge it, I'm challenging it no matter what," Bowness said. "I trust them 100 percent. … That was huge."

It became even bigger 23 seconds later, when Sean Monahan scored a short-handed goal at 3:27 to give Columbus a 3-0 lead. 

"That turned things in our favor at that moment," Bowness said.

Olivier made it 4-0 with a goal off the rush at 11:54.

"We needed all four goals, but I thought obviously the first two periods we put ourselves in a good position to win," Olivier said. "The third period, we're probably going to see a lot of video about that one tomorrow, which we deserve, but like 'Bones' said after the game, we got the two points, and we move on to tomorrow."

NOTES: Columbus defenseman Zach Werenski was a late scratch with an illness. Bowness said he was at the arena Monday to receive some fluids but he doesn't know if Werenski will be able to play Tuesday. … Perreault became the first Rangers player 20 years old or younger to have a three-point period since Alex Kovalev did it on Dec. 26, 1993. He's the first Rangers rookie to post three points in the third period since Tony Amonte on Feb. 14, 1992.