The New York Rangers secured a thrilling 2-1 victory in overtime to tie this Eastern Conference Final series against the Florida Panthers at 1-1. Stan Fischler On Rangers Cup Chances Going into this matchup, the Rangers were coming off of a brutal 3-0 loss where they were completely outplayed in all aspects. Coach Peter Laviolette made some big changes, inserting Matt Rempe in the lineup to provide a physical spark while boosting Filip Chytil to the first line alongside Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad. New York came into this game buzzing. Vincent Trocheck scored five minutes into the game which really set the tone while the Rangers just looked like a completely different team out there. To start the contest, the Rangers were playing a fast paced game, leading to multiple high quality rushes into the offensive zone. They were also bringing heavy physical pressure, helping electrify the crowd at Madison Square Garden. Carter Verhaeghe scored late in the opening frame though and Florida began to dictate the game again with their slow yet physically demanding style that continues to give the Rangers fits. The next 40 minutes was a back and forth display that was simply incredible to watch. Each team generated chance after chance, and as Mark Messier said during the ESPN intermission report, it was a “War of Attrition.” The two goaltenders, Igor Shesterkin and Sergei Bobrovsky, were basically unstoppable as they made countless remarkable saves to keep their respective teams within striking distance of a victory. Sixty minutes wasn’t enough to determine a winner, and this game went into overtime. Through the overtime period, New York and Florida held their own defensively, but when Barclay Goodrow found some space, he took advantage and buried the puck past Bobrovsky for the game-winner. After a disappointing Game 1, the Rangers showed a lot of heart and character. This team went toe-to-toe with the Panthers physically while also maintaining solid offensive pressure throughout the entirety of the night. “I thought we were just sharper with everything we were doing,” Laviolette said. “It’s a game that goes back and forth, it’s tight, It’s close both ways. “I do think we started to take control of the game through the second and some good things in the third. Shesty made some big saves. I really liked the way we played the overtime. It’s a good hockey team, it was a good game and it went down to overtime and a shot and he made a heck of a shot on that.” The Rangers are a team that takes accountability after poor performances and that’s exactly what they did en route to a critical Game 2 victory. “I think there was more emphasis on playing our A-Game tonight,” Trocheck said. “We didn’t love the way we played in Game 1, we didn’t love our execution and I think tonight we went out right out of the jump with more energy, like you said our forecheck was a lot better we didn’t give them very much and I think overall we just liked our game a lot better.” These are the types of moments that can change an entire series and Goodrow’s overtime goal shifts a lot of the momentum in New York’s favor. It was a must-win situation for the Rangers and they delivered in a massive way, which is a testament to what this team is truly made of.
