Jimmy Vesey Lifts Rangers To 3-2 Win Over Blue Jackets, Sixth Straight Victory

Jimmy Vesey scored with 6:32 remaining and Antti Raanta stopped 30 shots to help lead the New York Rangers to a 3-2 road victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday.

Jimmmy Vesey Nets Game-Winner In Rangers’ 3-2 Victory Over Blue Jackets

Dan Girardi and Kevin Hayes also scored for the Rangers (37-18-1), who are on a season-best six-game winning streak.

“When you can win a game when you’re not at your best as far as execution-wise, it’s not a bad sign,” Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said.

The game marked Raanta’s first start since suffering a lower-body injury on Jan. 14 in Montreal, and he played his first full game since Dec. 29 at Arizona.

“It’s been a long time since I played the last time,” Raanta said. “I just wanted to get that good feeling going again.”

Brandon Dubinsky and Nick Foligno scored for the Blue Jackets (35-15-5). Sergei Bobrovsky made 20 saves.

Dubinski, a former Ranger, put Columbus up 1-0 at 8:12 of the first. New York then tied it up with a shorthanded goal 12 seconds into the second thanks to Girardi, who returned to the lineup following an ankle injury from a blocked shot last Tuesday sidelined him for the previous two games.

Hayes scored New York’s second goal on a breakaway off a turnover at 4:49 of the third.

“I’m not upset with a bunch of minutes we played,” Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella said. “I just don’t like the free stuff we gave.”

Foligno made it 2-2 at 11:53 when his centering pass to Alexander Wennberg went off the skate of Rangers forward J.T. Miller and past Raanta.

Vesey then netted the winner by skating down the right wing and putting himself in position to shoot the puck underneath the crossbar at the near post.

“Everyone likes to score and get points, but I think I’ve been playing pretty well the last couple of weeks since the All-Star break,” said Vesey, whose goal marked his 13th of the year. “It’s just a matter of I guess the bounces going for me. I’ve had my chances and it hasn’t gone in or I’ve gotten robbed by the goalie. But I thought I felt good again tonight, and a really good feeling for that one to go in.”

Columbus forward Scott Hartnell sustained a lower-body injury and did not play the final two periods. He slid into the end boards after taking a shot at 5:38 of the first. He went to the locker room but returned to finish the period.

The Rangers next visit the New York Islanders on Thursday, while the Blue Jackets host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday.

TORONTO, ON – JANUARY 19: Jimmy Vesey #26 of the New York Rangers skates against the Toronto Maple Leafs during an NHL game at the Air Canada Centre on January 19, 2017 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Rangers defeated the Maple Leafs 5-2. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)