Stan Fischler US Hall Of Fame MSG Artemi Panarin scored his 42nd and 43rd goals of the season and now sits at 99 points, while the New York Rangers [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers/latest-news/the-new-elbowless-rempe-era-is-off-and-running-beware-panthers-beware-] moved ahead of the Boston Bruins (with a game in hand) for the Eastern Conference lead, after defeating the Florida Panthers 4-3 in a shootout at Madison Square Garden. Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjA1MjM1Njg5NzcwNDYwMjcz/usatsi_22850646.jpg] The Florida Panthers took a 1-0 lead at 8:18 of the first period after Matthew Tkachuk deflected a Jason Mahura shot from the top of the crease, flipping the puck over the blocker of Igor Shesterkin for his 23rd of the season. The Panthers extended their lead to 2-0 just 21 seconds into the middle frame after Eetu Luostarinen, cutting into the low slot, buried a 2-on-1 feed from Sam Reinhart for his 12th of the season. Adam Fox kicked off the scoring the in second, as he got the Rangers on the board at 6:22 of the second after he beat Sergei Bobrovsky, blocker side after getting the defense to bite with a strong fake shot. Just 2:01 later, Artemi Panarin rifled a one-timer blocker side from the left face-off dot off a quick feed from Vinny Trocheck to knot the score at two apiece. The game remained tied at 2-2, however with 4:08 to go, Carter Verhaeghe scored on only the second Florida shot of the third period, beating Igor Shesterkin over his left shoulder, giving the Panthers a 3-2 lead with only minutes to play. Incredibly, the resilient Rangers didn't quit. 43 seconds after the Panthers took the lead, Panarin deflected in the equalizer behind Bobrovsky with only 3:27 to play. The game went to overtime and the clubs traded grade A-1 chances but neither team could put the winner past either Shesterkin or Bobrovsky. Both Eastern superpowers had earned a point in the standings. In the shootout, Mika Zibanejad opened the competition with a Peter Forsberg style backhand-slide past Bobrovsky to give the Rangers the edge. Tkachuk quickly evened the shootout after two shooters. Panarin then deked twice before shooting and scored to gove the Blueshirts the 2-1 edge in the shootout. Anton Lundell then lost the puck on his approach to Shesterkin and then Trocheck, who assisted on all three Ranger goals during regulation was stopped. Shesterkin then faced Vladimir Tarasenko, who was stopped to give the Rangers two points and now lead the NHL with 98 points in the standings. The Blueshirts are tied for 1st in the NHL at 17-4-1 since the All-Star break.
