Three Things: Five Jackets Combine for Seven Goals, Tarasov Rises To The Occasion, Werenski Sets Assists Mark

By Will Chase on March 10, 2025 at 8:15 am
A hat lands on the ice as Columbus Blue Jackets center Adam Fantilli (19) celebrates his hat trick against the New York Rangers during the third period at Madison Square Garden.
© Brad Penner-Imagn Images
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The biggest win of the season.

Adam Fantilli scored a hat trick and Mathieu Olivier had two goals as the Columbus Blue Jackets pummeled the New York Rangers 7-3 on Sunday night at Madison Square Garden.

Five Jackets Combine For Seven Goals

Columbus needed to find their offense after two consecutive losses in Florida. On Sunday, five different goal scorers took matters into their own hands.

Justin Danforth opened the scoring at 5:56 of the first period with Zach Werenski picking up his 47th assist. Danforth has four goals in six career games against Jonathan Quick. Werenski passed Rick Nash for No. 1 on the franchise's all-time assists list — more on that.

Fantilli scored at 3:07 of the second period and then 26 seconds later at 3:33 to give the Jackets a 3-1 lead. Dmitri Voronkov (21 and 22) assisted on both goals.

Olivier scored at 17:03 to break a 3-3 tie. Werenski picked up his second assist and Fabbro added his 11th assist.

Fabbro scored his fifth at 18:47 to make it 5-3 – Sean Kuraly (9) and James van Riemsdyk (16).

Kent Johnson scored unassisted at 10:17 of the third period to make it 6-3. The goal was originally credited to Olivier but was changed after the game. Olivier picked up his 10th assist on the goal, and Boone Jenner added his eighth.

Fantilli secured his second career hat trick at 11:51. He scored his first in Toronto on Jan. 22. The assists went to Kirill Marchenko (37) and Damon Severson (18).

Tarasov Rises To The Occasion

After a tough start to the season, Tarasov has played well in the opportunities he’s been given, winning each of his last three starts since Jan. 31.

The score wouldn’t suggest it, but it was a close game most of the way before the Jackets’ offense erupted late in the second half of the game.

Columbus took a 1-0 lead late into the first period before Artemi Panarin’s 28th broke the shutout at 19:31. Alexis Lafreniere (22) and Vincent Trocheck (24) assisted. Panarin is on a five-game point streak (five goals, three assists).

After Columbus got out to a 3-1 lead in the second period thanks to Fantilli, the Rangers scored twice with two short-handed tallies only 40 seconds apart. The first goal was by Braden Schneider (4) at 6:54 with Trocheck (25) and Mika Zibanejad (32) getting the assists.

Then Chris Kreider's goal (18) tied the game 3-3 with Zibanejad (33) getting another assist.

The game could have gotten away after the Rangers tied it but Tarasov and the rest of the team settled in and got the job done.

Tarasov made 32 saves on 35 shots and improved to 7-7-2 this season. The former Jacket, Quick, stopped 21 of 27.

Werenski Sets Assists Mark

In a historic season for Werenski, there’s another accolade to add to the mantle.

As mentioned above, with the assist on Danforth’s goal in the first period, Werenski passed Nash for first on the franchise’s all-time assists list with his 259th. He added another one on Oliver’s goal in the third period for his team-leading 48th and career-best 68th point.

A Date With The Devil

The Blue Jackets conclude their four-game road trip on Tuesday, Mar. 11 in New Jersey, when they face the Devils at 7 p.m. ET.

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