Panthers top Rangers 4-3 in battle of Eastern Conference contenders
Florida got a pair of goals from Sam Reinhart and three assists from captain Sasha Barkov
It felt like the postseason on Friday night in Sunrise, as two of the league’s top teams went toe to toe in front of a packed house.
The defending Eastern Conference Champion Florida Panthers met the current NHL-leading New York Rangers in a battle of heavyweights that did not disappoint.
Florida would end up sending the announced crowd of 19,723 home happy following a thrilling 4-3 victory over the Rangers.
For the second straight game, Sergei Bobrovsky was lights out from the initial puck drop.
He was called upon to make 10 saves during the opening frame, including a breakaway save on Chris Kreider midway through the period.
Evan Rodrigues opened the scoring after finishing off a relentless possession by the Panthers top line in which Sasha Barkov and Sam Reinhart went hard the puck along the boards just inside the Rangers blue line.
Florida would take 1-0 lead into the first intermission.
Bobrovsky continued to come up with big save after save as the game continued, stopping both Jimmy Vesey and Tyler Pitlick on breakaways just moments apart.
It would be another great play by Florida’s number one forward line that led to the home team taking a 2-0 lead. Barkov’s unyielding effort along the boards gave him the puck with space behind the net, and he slid a perfect backhand feed across the goal crease to Reinhart, who had nothing but net to shoot at.
A failed defensive zone clear by Florida would bit them in the backside later in the period. Ryan Lindgren one-time-passed a high bouncing puck across the Panthers zone and directly to Alexis Lafreniere, who touch-passed to a wide-open Artemi Panarin for the goal.
It was a gorgeous play in which puck barely touched any of their sticks, and now the goose egg on the scoreboard under the Rangers name had been cracked.
Just over a minute later, a turnover by Florida just inside the New York blue line led to another odd man rush for the visitors, and once again they would make the Panthers pay.
This time it was Will Cuylle getting the goal, finishing off a cross-ice feed from K’Andre Miller.
Barkov would make some Panthers history late in the period, picking up his third assist of the game on a power play goal by Sam Reinhart.
It was the 415th assist of his career, moving him into a tie with Jonathan Huebrdeau for the Panthers all-time franchise record.
A milestone for Barkov and a 3-2 lead after two for Florida.
The third period had all the feels of a playoff game, with lots of drama, tight checking and big saves on both ends of the ice.
About midway through the period, Lafreniere caught Barkov with a shoulder to the head, temporarily sending Barkov to the Panthers locker room and Florida on the power play.
New York would be the team to capitalize though, with Mika Zibanejad wiring a one-timer past Bobrovsky to tie the game at three while Florida was still up a man.
It didn’t take long for the home team to respond.
Just after the penalty to Lafreniere expired, Carter Verhaeghe found the puck in the slot and did a quick spin before firing a quick wrister past the blocker of Jonathan Quick.
Not long after Florida re-took the lead, Barkov came back from the dressing room.
He and the Panthers would hold off a final charge from the Rangers, picking up a big two points against an elite opponent.
Here are some thoughts and observations from Friday’s battle with the Rangers:
In addition to Barkov’s big night on the scoreboard, he also led all Panthers players with three blocked shots.
Florida’s penalty kill remained red-hot, going a perfect 2-for-2 against the Rangers and their NHL-best power play.
It had been a little while, but Niko Mikkola picked up another assist, his first since Dec. 10. Mikkola is now up to 12 points, one off his career high set in 2021-22 with St. Louis.
Bobrovsky finished with THIS MANY high danger saves after stopping the first seven sent his way by New York.
LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS - FLORIDA
