RANGERS AT PANTHERS POST GAME WRAP UP 3/10

RANGERS FALL IN SHOOTOUT 4-3

PPICK UP POINT IN THIRD STRAIGHT LOSS

An exciting game in Sunrise turned into dismay for the Rangers as Vincent Trochek tallied the game winner in the third round of the shootout. The Rangers did pick up a point in the loss to bring them up to 67 for the season.

Trailing 1-0 at the end of the First Period and 2-0 in the second the Rangers were able to mount a comeback as Mats Zuccarello score on a deflection in front to take the Rangers to Intermission trailing by one. The Rangers opened the second period with a backhand shot by Mika Zibanejad evened the score 2-2 just 12 seconds into the final frame. But Florida answered back shortly after retaking the lead 3-2 just under a minute later. During a back and forth period the Rangers were finally able to tie the game once agian when Kevin Hayes put a wrister past Roberto Luongo to make it 3-3. Great goaltending by Henrik Lundqvist and Luongo took the game through the rest of the third and the five minute overtime period to head to the shootout.

Mats Zuccarello talllied first for the Rangers but Mika Zibanejad and Ryan Spooner were both stopped by Luongo. Lundqvist surrendered goals in the second round to Aleksander Barkov and in the third round to Trochek.

Ryan Spooner added an assist on Mats Zuccarello's goal bringing him up to 9 assits and 2 goals in his 7 games as a Ranger. Both Zibanejad and Hayes picked up their 20t goals of the season. Hayes' 20th is a career high.

Henrik Lundqvist started his 800th career game, becoming the 15th goaltender in NHL History to reach the plateau.

FINAL GAME STATS

RANGERS 3 PANTHERS 4

SHOOTOUT FINAL

GOALIES:
NYR Henrik Lundqvist 32 SV

FLA Roberto Luongo 34 SV

SOG: NYR 37 FLA 35
PPO: NYR 0/1 FLA 1/2
PIM: NYR 9 FLA 7

FO WINS: NYR 27 FLA 37

HITS: NYR 15 FLA 18

TAKEAWAYS: NYR 10 FLA 9

GIVEAWAYS: NYR 12 FLA 16

SCORING SUMMARY

1st Period

19:45 J. Huberdeau (22) (PPG) Assists: K. Yandle, V Trocheck 0-1

2nd Period
8:13 F. Vatrano (3) Assists: V. Trocheck, J Huberdeau 0-2

13:11 M. Zuccarello (12) Assists: N. Pionk, R Spooner 1-2

3rd Period
0:17 M. Zibanejad (20) Assists: C. Kreider, J Fast 2-2
1:02 J. McGinn (10) Assists: A. Petrovic, J McCann 2-3

7:25 K. Hayes (20) Assists: J. Gilmour, N Pionk 3-3

Overtime

No Scoring

Shootout

Start of Shootout period

Shootout GOAL scored by Mats Zuccarello on Roberto Luongo
Shootout attempt by Jonathan Huberdeau MISSES
Shootout attempt by Mika Zibanejad saved by Roberto Luongo
Shootout GOAL scored by Aleksander Barkov on Henrik Lundqvist
Shootout attempt by Ryan Spooner saved by Roberto Luongo
Shootout GOAL scored by Vincent Trocheck on Henrik Lundqvist
End of Shootout

PENALTY SUMMARY

1st Period

4:18 M. Haley: 5:00 Fighting
4:18 C. McLeod: 5:00 Fighting

12:37 M. Weegar: 2:00 High Sticking

17:52 R. O’Gara: 2:00 Interference

2nd Period

16: 23 P. Carey: 2:00 Interference

3rd Period

No Penalties

Overtime

No Penalties

TEAM COMPARISONS

NEW YORK RANGERS
Players    G    A    +/-    SOG    PIM
M. Staal    0    0    2    1    0
C. McLeod    0    0    0    0    5
P. Holland    0    0    0    1    0
R. Spooner    0    2    1    2    0
M. Zuccarello    1    0    1    5    0
K. Hayes    1    0    1    4    0
C. Kreider    0    1    1    2    0
P. Carey    0    0    0    1    2
V. Namestnikov    0    0    -1    3    0
M. Zibanejad    1    0    1    5    0
R. O'Gara    0    0    -1    0    2
J. Fast    0    1    1    0    0
B. Skjei    0    0    -1    3    0
P. Buchnevich    0    0    -1    1    0
J. Gilmour    0    1    0    2    0
J. Vesey    0    0    -1    2    0
A. DeAngelo    0    0    -1    3    0
N. Pionk    0    1    3    2    0
Goalies    GA    SV    SV%   
H. Lundqvist    3    32    .914   

FLORIDA PANTHERS
Players    G    A    +/-    SOG    PIM
D. MacKenzie    0    0    -1    1    0
K. Yandle    0    1    -1    0    0
J. McGinn    1    0    0    3    0
E. Dadonov    0    0    -1    0    0
C. Sceviour    0    0    -1    0    0
M. Haley    0    0    -1    1    5
A. Petrovic    0    1    1    3    0
M. Pysyk    0    0    -1    3    0
N. Bjugstad    0    0    -1    3    0
J. Huberdeau    1    1    1    5    0
V. Trocheck    0    2    1    3    0
M. Matheson    0    0    0    5    0
A. Barkov    0    0    -1    1    0
M. Weegar    0    0    0    1    2
A. Ekblad    0    0    -1    0    0
J. McCann    0    1    0    0    0
F. Vatrano    1    0    1    5    0
M. Mamin    0    0    0    1    0
Goalies    GA    SV    SV%   
R. Luongo    3    34    .919

RANGERS AT PANTHERS GAME DAY PREVIEW 3/10

RANGERS LOOK TO SALVAGE FLORIDA TRIP AGAINST PANTHERS

New York Rangers (30-32-6) vs Florida Panthers (33-25-7)

TONIGHT 7:00 PM, MSG, FSFL, WEPN

BB&T Center, Sunrise, FL

The Rangers and Panthers meet for the third and final time this season tonight in Sunrise. So far the series is split one win each with wins on the opposing team's home ice. The Rangers opened the series with the 5-4 overtime win on November 4 in Florida. Florida took the middle frame at MSG by the same 5-4 final score in regulation.

Chris Kreider who left Thursday’s game in Tampa after a hit to the head was cleared by doctors, but is said to be 50/50 for tonight’s game. Kreider played 2:23 of the first period before exiting for the remainder of the game and was evaluated between periods. The Rangers announced that Kreider was kept out for precautionary reasons.

If Kreider cannot go then Peter Holland will return to the lineup and center the 4th line while Kreider’s spot on the first line with Mika Zibanejad will be taken by Vladislav Namestnikov. Namestnikov skated with Zibanejad and Jesper Fast during practice Thursday. Pavel Buchnevich who was with Kreider and Zibanejad on Thursday was moved to the third line alongside David Desharnais and Jimmy Vesey. Holland slotted in yesterday on the fourth line between Cody McLeod and Paul Carey. The only line to remain intact from the last few games was Ryan Spooner, Kevin Hayes and Mats Zuccarello.

There were also changes on the defense pairings as Marc Staal was skating with Neal Pionk, Rob O'Gara with John Gilmour and Brady Skjei with Tony DeAngelo.

Henrik Lundqvist who was pulled in the second period of Thursday’s contest vs Tampa Bay after allowing 4 goals on 31 shots was announced to get the start against Florida tonight.

The 4th Place Atlantic Division Panthers are coming off a 5-0 win over Montreal on Thursday and have won four of their last five games. Vincent Trocheck leads the team in goals with 26, Aleksander Barkov leads in assists with 43 and points with 68.

GAME DAY TEAM LEADERS

Rangers

POINTS: Vladislav Namestnikov 46

GOALS: Vladislav Namestnikov 21

ASSISTS: Mats Zuccarello 34

Panthers

POINTS: Aleksander Barkov 68

GOALS: Vincent Trocheck 26

ASSISTS: Aleksander Barkov 43