Panthers Outlast Rangers

     The Florida Panthers outscored the New York Rangers 4-2 at Madison Square Garden on Monday night. The Panthers are first in the Atlantic Division, the Eastern Conference and the National Hockey League while the Rangers are first in the Metropolitan Division. It was the first time that Florida had a regulation win at Madison Square Garden in seven years. 

     New York(40-18-4) moved in front 1-0 with 3:20 left in the first period. K'Andre Miller sent a cross-ice pass from the left point to the right point. Jacob Trouba released a shot that was saved by Sergei Bobrovsky. Will Cuylle slid in a backhand shot from the right of the crease for his 11th goal this season. 

     In the second period, Florida(42-16-4) picked up a power-play goal with 9:49 remaining to tie it up 1-1. Carter Verhaeghe angled a pass from the left side of the neutral zone. Aleksander Barkov raced through the middle and made a square pass in the crease area. Sam Reinhart placed in a wrist shot from the right of the crease for his 43rd goal in 2023-24. 

     The Panthers leaped over the Blueshirts to make it 2-1 with 7:06 to go in the second. Gustav Forsling ripped the puck around the end wall from center ice. Aleksander Barkov picked it up on the right wing and exchanged it will Reinhart several times. Reinhart then snapped a shot from the slot area for his second tally of the contest and 44th goal of the season. He now has the third most goals in a season in Florida Panthers franchise history. Pavel Bure had 59 goals in 2000-01 and 58 goals in 1999-2000. 

     The Rangers scored on a power play with 4:34 to go in the frame. Artemi Panarin centered the puck from the right wing and Vincent Trocheck shot the puck from the high slot which was stopped. Chris Kreider hustled for the rebound and scored his 31st goal of the campaign on a forehand shot from the left of the crease. Panarin became the third player in New York Rangers franchise history with at least 50 assists in three straight seasons. He joined Wayne Gretzky from 1996-97 to 1998-99 and Mark Messier from 1991-92 to 1993-94. 

     The Cats reclaimed the lead 3-2 at the 6:11 mark of the third period. Forsling sent a lead pass from his own zone to Ryan Lomberg at the red line. Lomberg brought the puck into the Rangers zone and then powered in a wrist shot from above the left circle past Igor Shesterkin for his fifth goal of the year. 

     New York pulled their goalie for an extra skater with 1:25 remaining. It did not work as Anton Lundell scored an empty-net goal with 58.2 seconds left to give Florida a 4-2 lead.