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Stepan scores at end of third, OT to stop Jackets’ win streak at nine

during a game at Madison Square Garden on April 4, 2015 in New York City.

Derek Stepan

Alex Trautwig

They won’t make the playoffs, but the Columbus Blue Jackets have been making a statement by winning nine straight games. It goes to show you what this season might have been like for them had they not been devastated by injuries early on. They nearly earned their 10th consecutive win tonight, but the NHL-leading New York Rangers managed to squeak by with a 4-3 overtime victory.

This was a back-and-forth game, but with the clock approaching zero it seemed former Rangers forward Brandon Dubinsky’s third period goal would prove to be the game-winner. It certainly looked like it would be after Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky made an absolutely stunning save on a shot by New York defenseman Dan Girardi with less than a minute left in regulation time.

Bobrovsky’s heroics were spoiled though by a goal from Derek Stepan with roughly 28 seconds left.

Stepan did it again by scoring the winner with less than a minute remaining in overtime.

With that New York has won four straight games to improve to 51-21-7 this season. That winning streak has given them a clear edge in the Presidents’ Trophy race:

Presidents' Trophy race

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