Panthers Edge Rangers

The Florida Panthers continued their four-game homestand at the Bank Atlantic Center and got by the New York Rangers 2-1 on Wednesday night. The Panthers had a barrage of shots at the 6:30 mark of the first period as Tomas Fleischmann missed an open net from the right of the crease and Jason Garrison hit the right post on his shot from the right point. Florida was able to score on their first power play at 10:06. Fleischmann carried the puck through the right circle, backhanded to Brian Campbell on the left point who passed across to Garrison for a slapshot that went over the left shoulder of Hendrik Lundqvist. Florida continued to roll early in the second period as Fleischmann went around Artem Anisimov in the low rignt circle, backhanded a pass up to Kris Versteeg for a one-timer at 1:09. Versteeg now leads the Panthers with 12 goals this season. New York responded and cut the lead to 2-1 at 4:18 when Marian Gaborik passed across the high slot to Derek Stepan who took a wrist shot from the left face-off circle that beat Jose Theodore to the stick side. Neither team scored in the third period in which Lundqvist kept the game Rangers in the game as he made 36 saves. Florida extended their win streak to three games and host the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday.