Bobrovsky makes 36 saves, Blue Jackets shut out Rangers
COLUMBUS, OHIO » Sergei Bobrovsky made 36 saves for his 21st career shutout and Zach Werenski and Artemi Panarin scored in the Columbus Blue Jackets’ 2-0 victory over the New York Rangers on Friday night.
New York ran into a hot goalie in Bobrovsky, the reigning Vezina Trophy winner who notched his second shutout of the season in powering Columbus to its third straight victory.
Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist was nearly as good against the increasingly aggressive Blue Jackets, stopping 40 shots on the night. The Rangers lost their second straight following a six-game win streak.
After a scoreless first period in which both goalies made some slick, sprawling saves, Werenski found the back of the net with his sixth goal of the season 13:34 into the second. • Columbus signed all-star winger Cam Atkinson to a sevenyear contract extension worth $41.1 million. The secured the 28-year-old Atkinson, the team’s top scorer the past two seasons, through 2024-25. He’ll make $5.8 million a year. RED WINGS 3, SABRES 1 » Tomas Tatar scored a go-ahead goal midway through third period and Detroit went on to beat Buffalo.
Detroit’s Luke Glendening broke a scoreless tie late in the second period. Ryan O’Reilly pulled Buffalo into a 1-all tie 5:50 into the third.
GMs pleased so far with crack down on slashing
MONTREAL » If there are any misgivings about the NHL’s crackdown on slashes to the hands, they are not shared by the general managers.
Teams are scoring about half a goal more since officials made the quick tap to the hands or the top of the stick the NHL’s most frequently called minor penalty. The rule was aimed not only at protecting players after some gruesome hand injuries last season, but also to eliminate it as a tactic to cause skilled players to lose control of the puck.
“It’s still a work in progress but in general I think the standard has been very positive,” the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Steve Yzerman said after a three-hour meeting of the league’s 31 GMs.