BLUE JACKETS Rookie sparks Columbus to 6-3 win over Rangers

It was New York's third-straight road loss.
COLUMBUS -- Rookie Rick Nash broke out of a scoring drought with two goals in the opening period Saturday as the Columbus Blue Jackets beat the New York Rangers, 6-3.
Nash, the overall No. 1 pick in the June draft, had scored the Blue Jackets' first goal of the season on his first shot in the first game, then was limited to four assists over the next 11 games.
Andrew Cassels had three assists, including a give-and-go on a shorthanded goal by Tyler Wright, who has goals in his last four games.
Hannes Hyvonen had a goal and an assist and David Vyborny had two assists. Geoff Sanderson and Sean Pronger added goals for the Blue Jackets, who have scored points in their last five games (4-0-0-1).
Cassels extended his points streak to five games. He has five goals and 12 assists in the Blue Jackets' last 10 games.
Columbus tied franchise records for consecutive goals (4) and most goals at Nationwide Arena.
Petr Nedved and Radek Dvorak -- rumored to be on the trading block -- each scored a goal and had an assist for the Rangers, who lost their third in a row on the road.
Scoring
After taking a pass from David Vyborny, Nash's wrister from the high slot beat Daniel Blackburn on the stick side just 2:31 in.
After Hyvonen scored his third goal of the season, Nash scored on a breakaway, again taking a pass from Vyborny and swooping in to beat Blackburn on the stick side.
All three goals came in the opening 91/2 minutes, with a standing-room only crowd in excess of 19,000 roaring its approval.
The second period was even wilder and more wide open, with the teams combining for six goals.
Sanderson made it 4-0, notching his seventh goal after taking a drop pass from Cassels on a 3-on-1 early in the second period. Sanderson has goals in his last three games and points in the last four.
Quick action
While that goal was being announced, Rem Murray scored for the Rangers. Denis went behind the net to handle the puck and Murray got to it first, sliding in for the wraparound before Denis could get back in the crease.
Ray Whitney set up the next Columbus goal, taking the puck away near the blue line and feeding Pronger for the one-timer. That gave Whitney points in five consecutive games, including five assists in the last three Blue Jackets games.
Nedved and Dvorak sandwiched goals around Wright's shorthanded goal before a scoreless -- but chippy -- third period.
There were two fights after time expired, with Sandy McCarthy and Wright squaring off and New York's Krzysztof Oliwa trading punches with Grant Marshall. At one point the assistant coaches for both teams were pointing and shouting at each other through the glass separating the benches.