Panthers get shootout win vs. Rangers
NEW YORK -- Centers Vincent Trocheck and Aleksander Barkov scored during a shootout to give the Florida Panthers a 3-2 victory over the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Sunday night.
Barkov's winner barely trickled across the goal line and was confirmed by video review.
Defensemen Keith Yandle and Aaron Ekblad had the goals for Florida.
Panthers goaltender James Reimer made 33 saves.
Left winger Chris Kreider and center Mika Zibanejad scored for the Rangers. Zibanejad suffered what appeared to be a severe lower-leg injury 51 seconds into overtime. He was helped from the ice and did not return for the remainder of the game.
Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist stopped 28 shots.
The Rangers took a 1-0 lead into the locker room during the first intermission thanks to Kreider's fourth of the season at 13:15. Kreider got free along the left wing for a shot that was nearly deflected by the stick of Panthers left winger Reilly Smith but instead of beat Reimer to the blocker side.
Yandle tied it with a power-play goal at 14:43 of the second period. Yandle's shot from just inside the blue line sailed past Lundqvist, who was screened by at least three skaters between him and Yandle.
Zibanejad was in the right place at the right time for his fifth goal of the season 1:45 into the third period. Right winger Mats Zuccarello sent a spinning backhander toward the crease that bounced off Zibanejad's skate and into the net to make it 2-1.
Ekblad was just as fortunate on his game-tying goal at 7:54, as his wrist shot from the blue line was headed for an easy save by Lundqvist, but Rangers defenseman Brady Skjei deflected the puck while trying to catch it, causing it to bounce off the ice and past Lundqvist to knot the score at 2.
NOTES: Panthers D Keith Yandle played in his first game against the Rangers since leaving New York to sign with Florida during the offseason. ... Panthers D Dylan McIlrath, who was traded to Florida from New York earlier this month, was a healthy scratch. ... Rangers G Henrik Lundqvist played his 700th career game. He is the 12th Ranger to reach that mark and only the fifth goaltender in NHL history to play 700 games with one team. ... Rangers LW Pavel Buchnevich missed his fourth straight game with a back injury. He is scheduled to have an MRI exam on Monday. ... Rangers C Oscar Lindberg and D Adam Clendening were scratched.