Artemi Panarin scored twice in regulation and netted the game-winner in the second round of the shootout as the New York Rangers rallied for a 4-3 victory over the visiting Florida Panthers on Saturday night.
Panarin scored New York’s final two goals — including the tying goal with 3:25 remaining in the third period — after it trailed 2-0 early in the second period. He finished off the Rangers’ comeback by deking Sergei Bobrovsky and lifting a shot over the Florida goaltender’s glove.
Adam Fox started the comeback with a power-play goal and Vincent Trocheck collected three assists before making a game-saving defensive play in overtime as the Rangers (47-20-4, 98 points) improved to 18-4-1 in their past 23 games.
Carter Verhaeghe gave the Panthers (45-20-5, 95 points) a 3-2 lead at 15:52 of the third with a shot from the left circle over Igor Shesterkin.
Panarin responded 42 seconds later. His shot from above the left circle through traffic banked off Florida defenseman Kevin Stenlund’s left skate. The game stayed tied thanks to both teams making key plays in the extra period.
Chris Kreider nearly scored on a 2-on-1 with 3:42 left in overtime but Bobrovsky lost his stick making a sprawling pad save. Verhaeghe nearly slid in a loose puck with 2:22 remaining but Trocheck cleared the crease in time.
Matthew Tkachuk scored midway through the first and Eetu Luostarinen tallied on the opening shift of the second for Florida (45-20-5), which matched a season worst with its fourth straight loss.
Shesterkin made 27 saves and sealed the win with a pad save on Vladimir Tarasenko in the third round of the shootout.
Bobrovsky stopped 34 shots.
Tkachuk opened the scoring with 11:42 left in the first when he got by New York defenseman Erik Gustafsson and tipped in a right point shot by Josh Mahura.
Luostarinen used his stick to shovel the puck past a sprawled out Shesterkin in the crease 21 seconds into the second to finish off an odd-man rush.
Fox cashed in on the man advantage by lifting a shot from between the circles over Bobrovsky’s right shoulder at 6:22 of the second.
Following a turnover in the right corner by Florida’s Anton Lundell, Panarin buried a one-timer from the right circle into the upper right corner a little over two minutes after Fox scored.
–Field Level Media
