/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23226786/1369063183.jpg "The Rangers are coming off an upset loss at the Garden against the Blue Jackets.")
Six games into the season and it's getting harder and harder to call this Rangers performance a disaster.
They lost for the second and third time in four games Sunday, falling 5-1 against the Columbus Blue Jackets, who were playing their second straight Sunday at Madison Square Garden after a 6-3 loss in Pittsburgh. Penguins on Saturday.
Rangers coach Gerard Gallant decided to replace goalie Yaroslav Halak with Igor Shesterkin and it didn't work. Hala gave up five goals on 22 shots. Daniil Tarasov made 30 saves as part of Columbus.
Vital Krautsov returned to the Rangers lineup for the first time since being ruled out for the season after the third inning of the game. Krautsov was replaced by Jimmy Vesey and played on the third line with Barclay Goodrow and Philip Chytil.
But in the first round of that drive, Chytil bounced to his left on a hit by Columbus' Cole Sillinger, who drove past Chytil without the ball and turned the ball over his shoulder. Both referees failed to see the game and Chytil fell to the ice and knelt for several minutes before the game was stopped.
Columbus took the lead at 17:54 of the first period on a goal by Zach Renski as the Rangers went on the counterattack. Defenseman Zach Jones' shot was blocked in front, and the Blue Jackets had a triple-double en route to the second. Wierensky pounced and took the stick after a pass from Lim Foudy for a goal.
The Blue Jackets made it 2-0 on Andrew Pike's goal with 1:24 left before Hala connected with one hand. The Blue Jackets took a 3-0 lead at 9:00 of the second period on a Yehor Chinkov goal when the Rangers fumbled and fumbled, missing the ensuing faceoff and failing to score. Area.
The Rangers finally got going when Artemiy Panarin scored on a five-and-three with 18:44 left, but the Rangers couldn't capitalize. Goals by Eric Robinson and Kent Johnson tied the score late in the third period.
