RECAP: Panthers 4, Rangers 3

SUNRISE, Fla. – Sam Reinhart scored a pair of goals to help the Florida Panthers lock down an exciting 4-3 win over the New York Rangers at Amerant Bank Arena on Friday.

Winning each of their last three games, the Panthers now sit at 21-12-2.

“Three wins in a row against three really good teams,” said Florida forward Matthew Tkachuk, who notched two assists in the win. “We really haven’t played a perfect start-to-finish game, but we’re finding ways. That’s very encouraging. If we can just figure out a little bit how to play that full 60, I think we’re going to be a tough team to beat.”

Keeping the Panthers off the board early in the first period, Jonathan Quick added a save to his personal highlight reel when he kicked up his leg while lying on the ice and got just a piece of what looked to be a surefire goal off the stick of Carter Verhaeghe.

Making a big save of his own, Sergei Bobrovsky stoned Chris Kreider on a breakaway attempt later in the period to bring fans to their feet and keep the Rangers off the board.

After an incredible effort from the entire top line to keep the puck in the offensive zone, Evan Rodrigues put the Panthers on top when he fired a shot from the bottom of the left circle that clipped Quick’s right shoulder and fluttered into the cage to make it 1-0 at 18:45.

“I’d throw a compliment to Evan Rodrigues,” Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said. “In the last block of time that he’s come back [to the top line], he’s changed his game from the start of the year. He’s battling on pucks. He’s physical on pucks. He’s got good skill, good speed and he can make plays, but now that’s not what he’s playing on.”

In the zone, Bobrovsky had fans shouting “Bob-by! Bob-by! Bob-by!” in the second period when he robbed Alexis Lafrenière on a shot from the slot with a glove save.

“It was another great challenge tonight against a really good offensive team,” said Bobrovsky, who’s gone 4-1-0 in his last five starts. “They brought really good skill.”

With the building buzzing thanks to their red-hot goaltender, the Panthers doubled their lead soon after when Reinhart skated rdown into the slot, took a perfect pass from Aleksander Barkov and fired a quick shot into the back of the net to make it 2-0 at 7:12.

Feeling generous, Barkov has posted three straight multi-assist games.

“He’s just been incredible all year,” Tkachuk said. “Him and Reino, you can’t say enough good things. Barky, from the start of camp, he really just drives everything for us. Even last year, ever since I’ve been here, he’s just been the best player and the best leader.”

Finding their scoring touch, the Rangers started to mount a comeback and got on the board when Artemi Panarin teed up a pass from Lafrenière and blasted a blistering one-timer past Bobrovsky from the left circle to cut New York’s deficit down to 2-1 at 13:23.

Less than a minute later, Will Cuyle scored on an odd-man rush to make it 2-2 at 14:36.

Coming up in the clutch on the power play, the Panthers regained the lead when Reinhart, his stick figuratively on fire at this point, re-directed in a point shot from Barkov to make it 3-2 with his NHL-leading 10^th power-play goal of the campaign at 17:07.

On the verge of claiming yet another record, Barkov recorded his 415^th career assist on the go-ahead goal, matching Jonathan Huberdeau for the franchise’s all-time record.

Just past the midway point of the third period, Barkov briefly exited the game after taking a shoulder to the head from Lafrenière, who was given a two-minute penalty for the incident. 

On the ensuing power play for the Panthers, the Rangers pulled even when Mika Zibanejad took a pass from Kreider and beat Bobrovsky with a heat-seeking slap shot from the left circle for a shorthanded goal that made it 3-3 at 12:15.

But the newfound deadlock wouldn’t last long.

Finding the back of the net just 1:22 later, Verhaeghe turned around and fired a shot straight down the slot and into the twine to put the Panthers back on top 4-3 at 13:37.

His 17^th goal of the season, Verhaeghe has scored in two of his last three games.

“I think it was a big one,” said Verhaeghe, who ranks second on the Panthers in both goals (17) and game-winning goals (4) this season. “We had a lot of chances in that third period. Our line was good in the third. It was nice to get that one and the win.”

Bobrovsky finished with 31 saves, while Quick made 28.

With the Rangers entering tonight’s matchup boasting the top power play in the NHL with over a 30% success rate, the Panthers went 2-for-2 on the penalty kill in the win.

Since Nov. 20, Florida leads the NHL with a 92.9% success rate on the penalty kill.

“Guys feel confident,” Bobrovsky said. “There’s no hesitation.”

THEY SAID IT

“Barky’s the best player on our team. Any time he’s in the lineup, he makes a huge difference. It was nice to get him back in those last couple minutes just to know that he was OK. We all care about each other here.” – Carter Verhaeghe

“I think it was a real exciting game. There was some high-end offense at both ends. Really good shooters, some great saves and then a whole bunch that just missed. It felt even.” – Paul Maurice

CATS STATS

- Of Florida’s 18 skaters, 17 of them recorded at least one hit.

- Niko Mikkola blocked a team-high three shots.

- Anton Lundell went 7-for-10 (70%) in the faceoff circle.

- The Panthers are 14-0-2 when scoring first this season.

- Aleksander Barkov is the fourth player in franchise history to post at least three assists in consecutive games.

- Sam Reinhart recorded his sixth multi-goal game of the season.

- Sergei Bobrovsky made nine high-danger saves, per NaturalStatTrick.com.

WHAT’S NEXT?

No time to rest!

Wrapping up their only back-to-back at home this season, the Panthers will return to the ice to host the Montreal Canadiens at Amerant Bank Arena on Saturday at 7 p.m. ET.

For tickets, click HERE.