Blue Jackets Blow Four-Goal Lead, Hold On for Overtime Win vs. Rangers

Kiril Marchenko scored the game-winner 66 seconds into overtime after Columbus squandered a big lead in the third period.

Mar. 3, 2026 at 2:31am

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The Columbus Blue Jackets blew a four-goal lead in the third period but recovered to defeat the New York Rangers 5-4 in overtime. Kiril Marchenko scored twice, including the game-winning goal 66 seconds into overtime, to give the Blue Jackets the victory after they had taken a 4-0 lead earlier in the game.

Why it matters

The win ended Columbus's first losing streak under new coach Rick Bowness, who has led the team to an 11-2-1 record since taking over in January. The collapse and comeback also highlighted the Blue Jackets' resilience and the Rangers' struggles, as New York has now lost 3 of its last 17 games.

The details

The Blue Jackets jumped out to a 4-0 lead, with Marchenko scoring a power-play goal in the first period and setting up a goal by Adam Fantilli. But the Rangers stormed back in the third, scoring four unanswered goals to tie the game. Marchenko then won it for Columbus in overtime, cutting down the left side and sliding a shot past Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin.

  • The Blue Jackets took a 2-0 lead in the first period.
  • Columbus extended its lead to 4-0 with goals in the second period.
  • The Rangers scored four unanswered goals in the third period to tie the game.
  • Marchenko scored the game-winning goal 66 seconds into overtime.

The players

Kiril Marchenko

A forward for the Columbus Blue Jackets who scored two goals, including the game-winner in overtime.

Igor Shesterkin

The goaltender for the New York Rangers who allowed five goals on 28 shots.

Rick Bowness

The head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets, who has led the team to an 11-2-1 record since taking over in January.

Adam Fantilli

A rookie forward for the Columbus Blue Jackets who scored a goal.

J.T. Miller

A forward for the New York Rangers who had a goal disallowed early in the second period.

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What they’re saying

“We must find a way to close out games like this. Blowing a four-goal lead is unacceptable, but I'm proud of the guys for battling back in overtime.”

— Rick Bowness, Head Coach, Columbus Blue Jackets

“We showed a lot of fight to come back from that deficit, but we can't put ourselves in that position in the first place. We need to play a full 60 minutes.”

— Vladislav Gavrikov, Defenseman, New York Rangers

What’s next

The Blue Jackets will look to build on this comeback win as they continue their push for a playoff spot, while the Rangers will try to regroup and end their recent struggles.

The takeaway

This game highlighted the ups and downs of the NHL season, with the Blue Jackets showing resilience to overcome a major collapse and the Rangers ruing their inability to hold a big lead. Both teams will need to learn from this experience as they aim to finish the season strong.