2024 Stanley Cup playoffs: New York Rangers fall to the Panthers 3-2

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Anton Lundell broke a tie on a deflected shot with 9:38 left and the Florida Panthers moved inside a victory of returning to the Stanley Cup Remaining, beating the New York Rangers 3-2 in Sport 5 of the Jap Convention last Thursday night time.

Gustav Forsling and Sam Bennett additionally scored, and Sergei Bobrovsky made 25 saves to assist the Panthers – who misplaced to Vegas final yr within the championship collection – win their second straight within the best-of-series collection after shedding Video games 2 and three in time beyond regulation.

Chris Kreider and Alexis Lafreniere scored for the Rangers, and Igor Shesterkin made 34 saves in one other magnificent effort. The Presidents’ Trophy winners must win two straight to return to the ultimate for the primary time since 2014. Mike Zibanejad had two assists.

The Panthers can finish the collection Saturday in Florida. If a seventh recreation is important, it is going to be at Madison Sq. Backyard, the place the Panthers have gained twice this collection.

The go-ahead purpose got here after the Rangers misplaced the puck within the Florida finish. Eetu Luostarien acquired the puck, discovered Lundell on the Rangers’ blue line. His shot from the appropriate circle beat Shesterkin, though it might have hit off the stick of New York defenseman Braden Schneider.

Bennett added an empty-net purpose with 1:52 left and it proved essential when Lafreniere scored with 50 seconds to play. The Rangers by no means acquired one other shot.

Kreider and Zibanejad, who have been scoreless within the first 4 video games of the collection, mixed to provide New York the lead with a short-handed purpose at 2:04 of the second interval.

Kreider broke up a Florida play on the blue line, nudged the puck to Zibanejad after which took a return go coming into the offensive zone and beat Bobrovsky with nifty backhand transfer, evoking a roar that appeared to have Madison Sq. Backyard shaking.

It was Kreider eighth purpose of the playoffs and the Rangers’ sixth short-handed, tying the crew postseason document set in 1978-79. New York went on to the Stanley Cup Remaining, shedding to Montreal in 5 video games.

Forsling tied it somewhat greater than six minutes later, taking an ideal go from Bennett and beating Shesterkin with a backhander that the goalie deflected however not sufficient to maintain it out of the online. It was the defenseman’s fourth purpose and eleventh level of the playoffs.

Each groups had nice probabilities within the scoreless first interval with Bobrovsky stopping Filip Chytil and Vincent Trocheck in shut, and Shesterkin turning apart Kevin Stenlund and getting somewhat assist from a publish on Bennett’s backhander from point-blank vary.

Sport 6 between the Rangers and Panthers will air Saturday at 8 p.m. on ABC.

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