Down 1-0 in the series, the Rangers faced a virtual must-win in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Panthers.
In overtime, Rangers center Barclay Goodrow scored the game-winning goal to give them a 2-1 victory that tied the series 1-1.
Vincent Trocheck and Carter Verhaeghe scored first-period goals for the Rangers and Panthers. But both goalies were the stars of the night.
Rangers netminder Igor Shesterkin was fantastic, stopping 25 of 26 shots. Sergei Bobrovsky was equally as good, allowing just two goals on 31 chances.
Following a lackadaisical performance to begin Game 1, the Rangers came out firing in the second game of the series. They outshot the Panther 8-7 during the first 20 minutes. The Blueshirt also led in hits (21-15) and blocked shots (11-8).
It didn’t take the Rangers long to find the net on Friday night. Adam Fox dished a nice pass to Trocheck, and the Rangers went up 1-0. It was Trocheck’s seventh goal of the postseason.
After the goal, there was a skirmish between Verhaeghe and Alexis Lafrenière. Matthew Tkachuk dragged Trocheck to the ice. Verhaeghe, Lafrenière, and Tkachuk were all sent to the penalty box for roughing at 4:12, and the Rangers had their first power play.
The Blueshirts would again be on the power play 9:56 through the first period after Dmitry Kulikov leveled Alex Wennberg right in the head. Kulikov was called for interference and headed to the penalty box with a two-minute minor. Ranger fans then began chanting A–h–e at Kulikov.
Florida received its first power play 17:10 into the first period, and the team capitalized on the opportunity. At 18:09, Verhaeghe beat Shesterkin with a low shot to tie the game 1-1. Since the 2023 postseason, Verhaeghe has scored 15 goals. Only Leon Draisaitl (22) and Tkachuk (16) have scored more goals during that span.
The second period was fast-paced between the two sides, and both goaltenders were sharp. Bobrovsky and Shesterkin turned away possible scoring chances.
At 12:15, throughout the second period, the Rangers and Panthers went 4-on-4 after Kevin Stenlund (interference) and Filip Chytil (slashing) were called for penalties. Then, 35 seconds later, Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad committed a high-sticking penalty. That put the Rangers on a 4-on-3 power play, but they couldn’t capitalize.
With 44.6 left in the second period, the Panthers went on their second power-play after Fox was called for holding. But the game remained 1-1 entering the third period.
To begin the third period, Verhaeghe was called for high-sticking and put the Rangers on the power play after Fox came out of the box. But the Blueshirts did not register a goal.
Near the 10-minute mark in the third period, the Panthers had a chance to take the lead, but Sam Reinhart‘s shot was wide right. Just like the second period, the game remained 1-1 after 60 minutes of regulation.
Still tied with nine minutes remaining in the overtime, Jack Roslovic had a chance to win the game but Bobrovsky stopped the puck. Chytil got the rebound, but the puck hit off Oliver Ekman-Larsson
The Rangers finally won the game after Goodrow scored the game-winning goal with 5:59 left in overtime
After much chatter the last two days, Matt Rempe was active for Game 2. Friday was the first time Rempe played since Game 5 of the second-round series against the Hurricanes.
When he entered the game for the first time early in the first period, Ranger fans chanted “Rempe, Rempe.”
Blake Wheeler and Kaapo Kakko were both scratched for Game 2.
Rangers left winger Jimmy Vesey suffered an upper-body injury and did not return for the third period.
The series will shift to Sunrise at Amerant Bank Arena for Game 3 on Sunday at 3 p.m.
