Rangers fall to Blue Jackets as Boone Jenner nets hat trick

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Not every game can be as seamless as the Rangers’ season-opening victory.

And it’s even less likely in a matchup that was as eventful as the start to the Rangers’ 5-3 loss to the Blue Jackets Saturday night at Nationwide Arena.

This game was, however, probably a more realistic representation of where the Blueshirts are at less than a week into the season.

The late scratching of defenseman Ryan Lindgren, who was sidelined with an upper-body injury despite participating in all team activities leading up to the contest, certainly played a role in the drop-off on defense that looked so sharp just two days prior.

But the Rangers as a whole missed the mark in this one against a team they could’ve taken care of for a 2-0 start to the season.

Columbus captain Boone Jenner recorded a hat trick as his team scored four unanswered goals through the first and second periods.

Rookie Will Cuylle scored his first NHL goal and Chris Kreider netted a power-play tally toward the end of the third, but it was too late for the Rangers to build off it.

The Rangers may have opened the scoring 50 seconds in off of Erik Gustafsson’s first goal in a red, white and blue sweater, but that was the most control the visitors had all night.

That 1-3-1 neutral zone trap that worked so well in Buffalo?

Columbus largely carved through it and didn’t seem to have much trouble with zone entries.

The lockdown defense that limited the Sabres to mostly low-danger chances?

The Blue Jackets found ways to get to the net rather consistently.

And the Rangers’ offense that exploded for five goals?

Some sloppy play with the puck was not conducive to replicating that performance.

It was a hectic opening 20 minutes, over which three total goals were wiped off the board in the span of 7:08.

Two of the disallowed goals belonged to the Rangers, who trailed 2-1 going into the first intermission as a result.

After Gustafsson scored his first goal as a Ranger 50 seconds into the game, Filip Chytil finished a tic-tac-toe play with Alexis Lafreniere and Gustafsson.

Columbus challenged for offside and it didn’t count.

And after Jenner scored his first goal of the night to even the score, 1-1, the Rangers nearly retook the lead when Mika Zibanejad forced a turnover and scored from the slot shortly thereafter.

Columbus challenged for offside again and, you guessed it, it didn’t count.

The Blueshirts finally saw a review go their way after Rangers captain Jacob Trouba dove and saved a would-be goal from Patrik Laine, whose shot trickled past goalie Igor Shesterkin.

The ref waived his arm to signal a goal, the deafening signature Columbus cannon went off and Blue Jackets fans in attendance cheered.

Refs reviewed the play immediately and ultimately deemed that the puck did not cross the line.

Jenner’s power-play goal at the 18:38 mark, however, gave Columbus their first lead of the night.

The drastic difference in the Rangers’ defense when Lindgren isn’t a part of it continues to be apparent.

Head coach Peter Laviolette stuck with the top-four D pairs the club has used for years for a reason – because they’ve made up one of the more formidable defense cores in the NHL.

Without Lindgren, Zac Jones drew into the lineup and skated next to Braden Schneider, while Adam Fox lined up next to Gustafsson.

The Jones-Schneider duo was on the ice for two of Jenner’s goals, while Schneider was on for all three.