NEW YORK -- For a team that built a six-goal lead in the third period Monday night, the Columbus Blue Jackets weren't all that thrilled with their performance after the game.

That's because a 6-0 advantage turned into a 6-4 victory against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden. The Blue Jackets were happy to win their first game after the All-Star break, sure, but they weren't pleased with how they handled themselves once they secured the massive lead.

After Matt Calvert scored the Blue Jackets' sixth goal of the game 1:49 into the third period, Jimmy Vesey, Chris Kreider and Michael Grabner scored less than four minutes apart. After Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella called a timeout, his team steadied itself until Kevin Klein scored with 1:07 remaining to make it a two-goal game.

That Rangers never really threatened after the timeout but the final 20 minutes left left the Blue Jackets with a bittersweet two points

"I'm gonna take away that we had two good road periods," Blue Jackets captain Nick Foligno said. "Then I was really disappointed. Actually, really kind of bothered there because it's a 6-0 game. They should have no life. They have nothing to lose so they were springing some guys and got some lucky bounces. That's part of hockey, but I just did not like our answer on a couple of those things.

"But we found a way to win. We have two days of practice here to really work on some things. But that was not the way anyone wants to come in (to the locker room) feeling after a win."

Blue Jackets goaltender Joonas Korpisalo was less than a period from a shutout but ended the night with 33 saves on 37 shots. He came up big in the first period, though, as the Rangers had the first five shots of the game and a power play 11 seconds into the game.

Seth Jones scored his first of two goals on the Blue Jackets' first shot, as his slapper from the blue line fluttered past a heavily screened Henrik Lundqvist to make it 1-0 at 3:53.

The Blue Jackets broke the game open and chased Lundqvist early in the second period when Brandon Saad and Alexander Wennberg, who also had two assists, scored during the first 3:42 to extend the lead to 3-0. Antti Raanta came on in relief and was hung out to dry on Jones' second goal and Foligno's goal that pushed the lead to 5-0 after two periods.

"We hurt ourselves with a lot of the chances there," Rangers captain Ryan McDonagh said of the second period. "We've got to take care of the puck when we have it on our stick and make sure we are 100 percent with it."

While Raanta couldn't do much on the goals he allowed, Lundqvist's three goals on 16 shots were all stoppable to some degree, especially the third goal that fell out of his glove and right to Wennberg on the doorstep.

"I know I need to be better," Lundqvist said. "That third goal is a killer. As a group, we responded really well in the third. The intensity and energy we had is something that when we do have it, we are a good team. But it starts with me, and especially that third goal, that's something that bothers me."

The Blue Jackets (33-12-4) moved to within two points of the Washington Capitals with a game in hand for the best record in the NHL. The Rangers (31-18-1) have dropped two in a row and are seven points back of the Blue Jackets for second place in the Metropolitan.

Nobody was smiling in the Blue Jackets locker room after their win Monday but an ugly win was a fine consolation prize.

"Every team is right there for either a playoff spot or top of the division, so they're all important," the Blue Jackets' Brandon Dubinsky said. "Especially as we go through this stretch of the season which is always hardest after the break, and we've got to get better.

"We'll take the points but we've got to get a lot better as a team and it's going to start with our work habits tomorrow in practice."

NOTES: Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella was back behind the bench after missing the team's previous contest and the NHL All-Star Game to be at home with an ailing dog. ... The Blue Jackets scratches were D David Savard (undisclosed), D Markus Nutivaara (undisclosed) and D Dean Kukan. ... Rangers D Marc Staal (concussion) and RW Jesper Fast (upper body) returned from extended absences. Staal missed nine games while Fast sat out the last four. ... Rangers G Antti Raanta served as the backup netminder after sitting out with a lower-body injury sustained on Jan. 14.