Panarin caps off dramatic finish for Rangers in Stadium Series

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Artemi Panarin’s overtime goal for the New York Rangers in the 2024 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series on Sunday capped off one of the most dramatic finishes to an outdoor game in League history.

Panarin scored an unassisted goal 10 seconds into overtime to give the Rangers a 6-5 come-from-behind victory against the New York Islanders in front of 79,690 fans at MetLife Stadium. It was just the eighth outdoor game to go beyond regulation among the 41 that have been played in the League's history.

“It was awesome. It was crazy,” Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said. “These (outdoor) games that take place are special. You’re fortunate to be a part of them. There have been some good ones, but this one has to be up there. It has to be near the top of the list.”

The 32-year-old forward won it by knocking down defenseman Noah Dobson's saucer pass deep in the Islanders zone and waiting out Ilya Sorokin before scoring with a shot that was partially blocked by a sliding Dobson but trickled across the goal line after hitting off the prone goalie.

The goal was confirmed after a video review initiated by the NHL Situation Room in Toronto determined that the actions of Dobson caused the net to be displaced from its moorings prior to the puck crossing the goal line.

“Honestly, I don’t remember that goal very well at this point, just because I was flooded with a wave of emotions and excitement, but I’m 80 percent sure the puck crossed the line, and it definitely was a goal,” Panarin said with a laugh.

The crowd celebrated initially after the call on the ice was a good goal, but what ensued after the official confirmed it was a second eruption, which Rangers forward Chris Kreider described as "deafening."

“We kind of knew it would be a goal,” Rangers defenseman Adam Fox said. “I guess you never know, but kind of one of those continuation plays where they take the net off. We got the celebration, and then you’re waiting a little bit, you don’t really know, but to get that double [celebration], hear the crowd erupt, was pretty awesome.”

Panarin’s goal completed the Rangers’ stunning rally from 5-3 down late in the third period to defeat their in-state rivals in the second outdoor game between the teams. They also played in the Stadium Series at Yankee Stadium on Jan. 29, 2014, when the Rangers defeated the Islanders 2-1.

Rangers center Vincent Trocheck has shared plenty of ice time with his linemate Panarin, who ranks fifth in the NHL with 74 points (32 goals, 42 assists) in 55 games this season. When asked if Panarin’s goal deserves to be up there with Sidney Crosby’s iconic shootout winner for the Pittsburgh Penguins in a 2-1 win against the Buffalo Sabres in the NHL's first Winter Classic on Jan. 1, 2008, Trocheck acknowledged the magnitude of Panarin’s clutch individual effort.

“Yeah, everybody knows he’s an outstanding hockey player. The thing that people don’t give him enough credit for is how hard he works and how resilient he is,” Trocheck said. “He wins so many puck battles for us. The guy is 5-foot-11, 180 (pounds). He battles hard, and that was just a prime example of that in overtime.”