New York Rangers vs Columbus Blue Jackets Picks and Predictions January 18th 2025

Blue Jackets Aim for Seventh Straight Win Against Resurgent Rangers

The Columbus Blue Jackets are riding high on a six-game winning streak, while the New York Rangers are clawing their way back into playoff contention. As these two teams prepare to clash, the stakes couldn’t be higher.

Blue Jackets’ Red-Hot Run

The Blue Jackets have been in electrifying form, stringing together six straight wins for the first time since early 2020. If they secure a victory against the Rangers, it will mark their first seven-game winning streak since their impressive 10-game run in 2018.

This turnaround is even more remarkable considering they were struggling with a five-game losing streak just a few weeks ago. Now, thanks to their recent surge, Columbus has climbed into the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, sitting just one point ahead of the Boston Bruins.

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Their offensive firepower has been the key to this resurgence. In nine of their last 13 games, they’ve scored at least four goals, including a dominant 4-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks in their most recent outing. Adam Fantilli and Kent Johnson set the tone early with first-period goals, while James van Riemsdyk sealed the win with a pair of his own.

Defensively, Columbus has also stepped up, holding San Jose to just 19 shots on goal, their second-lowest total allowed this season.

“I definitely look. It’s fun to look at it now,” said Johnson when asked about the standings. “I didn’t look too much the last couple years. It’s definitely a nice spot to be in. We just want to keep going.”

Key Contributors Fueling the Streak

Several Blue Jackets players have hit their stride during this impressive stretch.

• Adam Fantilli has been on fire, extending his points streak to seven games while scoring four goals during this winning run.
• Zach Werenski has been a force on the blue line, racking up 20 points (five goals, 15 assists) during the team’s resurgence.
• Kirill Marchenko is another standout, riding a six-game points streak with 22 points (eight goals, 14 assists) over his past 16 contests.

With this level of production, the Blue Jackets have built significant momentum heading into their matchup with the Rangers.

Rangers Finding Their Footing

While Columbus has been surging, the Rangers have been clawing their way back from a disastrous midseason slump. After going through a brutal 4-15-0 stretch that dropped them toward the bottom of the standings, New York has started to show signs of life, posting a 4-0-2 record in its past six games.

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Though still four points behind the second wild-card spot, the Rangers are coming off a morale-boosting 5-3 comeback win over the Utah Hockey Club. It was their first third-period comeback victory of the season, and it showcased the kind of resilience they need to stay in the playoff race.

New York erased three separate one-goal deficits in that game, with Chris Kreider netting the tiebreaker after Reilly Smith’s short-handed goal just 28 seconds into the third period.

“It was a good road trip,” said Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette. “Even going back prior, I think we’ve been playing some good hockey. We’ve just got to continue to do that. We’ve got to remember what’s gotten us here.”

Key Players Stepping Up for New York

Much like Columbus, the Rangers have had some key players finding their rhythm at the right time.

• Chris Kreider has rediscovered his scoring touch, finding the back of the net three times in his last five games after managing just two goals in his previous 14.
• Artemi Panarin is heating up as well, tallying eight points (three goals, five assists) over his last six games after enduring a rough 10-game stretch where he managed just one goal and four assists.

With their top players producing again, the Rangers are fighting to climb back into the playoff conversation.

A High-Stakes Matchup

As these two teams prepare to face off, the stakes couldn’t be higher. Columbus looks to continue its winning ways and solidify its playoff positioning, while the Rangers are desperate to keep their momentum alive and inch closer to a postseason spot.

One team is riding a wave of confidence, the other is battling for survival. Saturday night’s showdown promises to be a thrilling contest between two teams with everything to play for.