Rangers Take Panthers

     The New York Rangers knocked off the Florida Panthers 4-3 at FLA Live Arena on Saturday night. The Panthers have lost three straight games and will be heading on a four-game road trip. The Rangers have won six of their last seven contests. 

     Aleksander Barkov reached second all-time in Florida Panthers franchise history as he played in his 655th career game and passing Stephen Weiss. The Panthers finished off a stretch in which then played 11 of their last 14 contests at home. 

     Florida(36-30-7) rolled out to a 1-0 lead at the 9:15 mark of the first period. Matthew Tkachuk handed the puck from the left wing to Gustav Forsling on the left point. His slap shot was saved by Jaroslav Halak, however Aleksander Barkov steered in the rebound for his 19th goal this season. 

     The Panthers extended it to 2-0 with 5:14 left in the first. Marc Staal carried the puck from the left point to the left corner. He pushed the puck and Ryan Lomberg rifled a one-time slap shot from the left circle for his 11th goal of the year. 

     In the second period, New York (41-20-10) at 8:50 and trailed 2-1. Filip Chytil made a pass from the slot area to Alexis Lafreniere and he returned it back. Chytil released a shot from the slot which was stopped. Kaapo Kakko snapped a shot from the low slot by Sergei Bobrovsky for his 14th goal of the campaign. 

     The Rangers tied it up 2-2 with 1:45 remaining in the second. Tyler Motte advanced the puck from the neutral zone. Jacob Trouba made a diagonal pass from the left point to the right circle. Lafreniere skated to top of the crease and put in a wrist shot for his 15th goal. 

     The Blueshirts got their first lead of the contest at the 1:22 mark of the third period. Brandon Montour had his clearing pass intercepted by Patrick Kane on the left wing. He flicked a pass to the middle that went off a Carter Verhaeghe's stick and into the cage for his 20th goal of the season. Kane compiled his 450th NHL goal on the play. He passed Phil Housley for second by a United States-born player with 1,233 career points. 

     It became 4-2 for New York at 6:18. Kakko banked a long lead pass to the Panthers zone. Chytil got to it first at the top right circle. He skated in and scored on a forehand shot. 

     Florida answered back just 42 seconds later and were down 4-3. Barkov won a faceoff in the left circle. Verhaeghe skated it down the left circle and went around the net with a wraparound shot. Barkov tapped in the rebound from close range for his second of the game and 20th goal this season. It is the eighth consecutive season that he has reached the 20-goal plateau.