The Panthers and Rangers are knotted at two games apiece heading into Game 5
By Chris Bengel
& Austin Nivison
• 1 min read
The Florida Panthers and New York Rangers are knotted at two games apiece in the Eastern Conference Final following Florida's 3-2 overtime win in Game 4.
Panthers star Sam Reinhart lifted the Panthers to victory with a goal just 1:12 into overtime Tuesday. Reinhart's goal was the fastest goal from the start of an overtime period in team postseason history, as he topped Matthew Tkachuk's previous record of 1:51 that was set in Game 2 of the 2023 Eastern Conference Final.
It was the latest strong performance for Reinhart, who has tallied three goals over the last two games.
Both teams received spectacular performances in the crease from goaltenders Sergei Bobrovsky and Igor Shesterkin. Bobrovsky turned aside 21 of the 23 shots he faced, while Shesterkin stopped 37 of 40 shots in Game 4.
The Game 4 loss was the first time the Rangers were defeated in overtime in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Rangersforced overtime as a result of a Alexi Lafreniere goal early in the third period.
The series will now shift back to New York for Game 5. The Rangers have thrived when playing at Madison Square Garden with a 5-2 mark during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
New York Rangers vs. Florida Panthers schedule, results
All times Eastern |Watch live: fubo (Try for free) | * If necessary
- Game 1 -- Panthers 3, Rangers 0
- Game 2 -- Rangers 2, Panthers 1 (OT)
- Game 3 -- Rangers 5, Panthers 4 (OT)
- Game 4 -- Panthers 3, Rangers 2 (OT)
- Game 5 -- Panthers at Rangers: Thursday, May 30, 8 p.m.| TV: ESPN
- Game 6 -- Rangers at Panthers: Saturday, June 1, 8 p.m.| TV: ABC
- Game 7 -- Panthers at Rangers*: Monday, June 3, 8 p.m.|TV: ESPN
Keep it locked here with CBS Sports for updates, analysis and highlights as the Rangers and Panthers battle throughout the Eastern Conference Final.
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Game 4: Panthers 3, Rangers 2 (OT)
The Florida Panthers made the most of their power-play opportunity early in overtime during Game 4. As a result of some impressive puck movement, Panthers forward Sam Reinhart ripped a one-timer into the back of the net to give the Panthers a 3-2 overtime win against the New York Rangers.
Over the past two games, Reinhart has tallied three goals, including a pair of goals in Game 3. It also marked the first overtime loss for the Rangers in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Panthers and Rangers engaged in a back-and-forth affair throughout the night.
The Rangers were able to find the back of the net first in Game 4. At the 8:51 mark of the opening period, forward Vincent Trocheck was able to win a face-off, and got open in the slot. Teammate Artemi Panarin found an open Trocheck in the slot, and Trocheck sent a scorching one-timer past Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky.
The tally was Trocheck's eighth goal of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, which is tied for third in the NHL this postseason. It also was just New York's second power-play goal in their last 19 opportunities on the man advantage.
Midway through the second period, center Sam Bennett was able to tie the game by just inches. Bennett skated in and let a shot go from face-off circle that Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin got a piece of. However, the puck had just enough spin to cross the goal line behind Shesterkin to tie the game at 1-1.
The Panthers didn't stop there as forward Matthew Tkachuk helped set up the go-ahead goal. Teammate Carter Verhaeghe had the puck bounce off of him along with Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren before Verhaeghe batted it home to give the Panthers a 2-1 lead.
The Rangers didn't go away as winger Alexis Lafreniere was able to tie the game at 2-2 when he redirected an Adam Fox shot attempt past Bobrovsky.
When it was all said and done, Bobrovsky turned in a strong performance as he turned aside 21 of the 23 shots that he faced. The series now shifts back to New York for Game 5 on Thursday.
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Game 3: Rangers 5, Panthers 4 (OT)
For the second straight game, the Rangers defeated the Panthers in overtime. This time around, Alex Wennberg was the hero for New York as he deflected a shot past Florida goalie Sergei Bobrovsky to win Game 3 and give his team a 2-1 series lead.
The game-winning goal initially looked like a harmless play. The Rangers won an offensive zone draw, and Ryan Lindgren just threw a puck toward the net from the blue line. On its way to Bobrovsky, the shot caught a piece of Wennberg's glove and changed direction to beat Bobrovsky.
Things did get a little hairy for the Rangers after they took a 4-2 lead into the third period. Goals from Aleksander Barkov and Gustav Forsling, just 1:54 apart, tied the game and brought the noise level inside Amerant Bank Arena to a crescendo.
The Panthers continued to push for the winning goal, but Rangers netminder Igor Shesterkin made some show-stopping saves to get the game to overtime. In another strong postseason effort from Shesterkin, he stopped 34 of Florida's 38 shots on goal.
Two Rangers, Barclay Goodrow and Vincent Trocheck, kept their red-hot postseasons going with big-time production in Game 3. Barclay Goodrow scored a pair of goals, giving him two more playoff goals (6) than regular-season goals (4). Also, Trocheck took sole possession of second all-time in franchise history with his eighth multi-point game of the playoffs.
Florida has now lost two games that could have gone either way, and it will try to even the series on home ice in Game 4. That one gets started at 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday
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Game 2: Rangers 2, Panthers 1 (OT)
The Rangers have tied the Eastern Conference Final at one game apiece after a dramatic Game 2 victory. With just 5:59 left in overtime, forward Barclay Goodrow was able to swat the puck out of midair, and got the puck back to rip a shot past Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrobsky.
In addition to Goodrow's heroics, Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin had a tremendous performance in the crease as he stopped 25 of the 26 shots that he faced on the night.
In a game that the Rangers likely needed to have, they got off to a strong start in the opening period.
Just 4:12 into the contest, Rangers star Artemi Panarin brought the puck into the zone and dished it off to Vincent Trocheck. After Trocheck's pass was broken up, defenseman Adam Fox was able to come up with the puck, and slid it over to a wide-open Trocheck for the tap-in goal in front.
The Panthers were able to answer on the power-play with 1:51 remaining in the first period. Forward Carter Verhaeghe skated his way into the slot and sent an on-ice shot past Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin. Fellow forward Evan Rodrigues provided a screen in front to make Verhaeghe's goal possible.
The goal was the eighth tally of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for Verhaeghe, which marked a new career-high. It's the first time that Verhaeghe has scored goals in back-to-back games since he scored in Games 4 and 5 against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the opening round.
The Rangers now own a 3-0 record when playing overtime games during the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
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Game 1: Panthers 2, Rangers 0
The Panthers began the Eastern Conference Final with a dominant performance as they defeated the Florida Panthers 3-0.
The Panthers opened the scoring at the 16:26 mark of the first period. Forward Anton Lundell brought the puck in the zone and dished it off to teammate Matthew Tkachuk. Tkachuk then ripped a shot over the glove of Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin.
The two teams were scoreless after the first two periods. For the first time since April 1, the Rangers were held in the first two periods of a game.
The Panthers added an insurance goal late in the third period. Shesterkin attempted to shoot the puck out of the zone, but forward Carter Verhaeghe was able to keep it in. Verhaeghe then was able to flip the puck off of a defender and into the back of the net. Panthers forward Sam Bennett added an empty-net goal in the final two minutes to put the game away.
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