The New York Rangers hold a 2-1 series lead over the Florida Panthers after their 5-4 OT win on Sunday afternoon.
Despite blowing a two-goal third-period lead where the Panthers scored two goals in a 1:54 span, the Blueshirts found a way to get the game to overtime thanks to the stellar play of goalie Igor Shesterkin. The netminder made 11 saves in a third period that the Panthers dominated. He made another five saves in the extra session before Alex Wennberg scored the winner with less than six minutes left in overtime.
No Panic
Playing in their fourth overtime this postseason, where they had won the previous three, the Rangers knew despite the lopsided edge the Panthers had in possession time, shot attempts, and shots on goals, they were one goal away from a 2-1 series lead.
“The third period didn’t end the way we want it, but you have to go in and reset,” Wennberg said. “We had a little talk there, but I feel like this team, we have that belief. We’re maybe not the most vocal, but we all look at each other. We know what to do and you obviously see when we get out there, we get the job done.”
Dan Rosen
Wennberg won an offensive draw back to defenseman Ryan Lindgren, whose shot on goal was deflected past Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky.
This Rangers team has been put to the test this postseason. There have been multiple games where it looked as if the team would be unable to pull out a victory but then find ways to win hockey games.
Head coach Peter Laviolette needs to be credited with how poised his team looks at the most critical times in games this postseason. He indeed has the team all in on not only the system the team has been playing in but with the continued confidence he instills in his players.
His message was simple and one the team took back on the ice to start the overtime period,
“We were taking on a lot of heat in the third period,” Laviolette said. “I don’t think necessarily that one period leads to the next period. Our second period didn’t lead to the third. Their first period didn’t lead to the second. I think the periods are different. Everything plays out differently. It’s just a chance to reset and we had been in the situation in overtime quite a few times already in the postseason and our guys have responded and handled it really well. The message was go back to work, let’s get on the attack and be comfortable in what we’re doing.”
Dan Rosen
Their four overtime wins are tied for the most in franchise history (2014-15).
It is easy not to panic when a team has a goalie like Igor Shesterkin standing between the pipes. Sometimes, a goalie has to steal a game or two in a best-of-seven series.
Good teams find ways to win games that in all reality they should lose. Game 3 in Florida was one of those games.
The Panthers had 108 shot attempts in the game, 41 in the third period. They had 37 shots on goal in the game and were 2-6 with the man advantage.
Yet the Rangers kept playing, knowing they had a chance to win the game. No Panic in New York might be the team’s new mantra, replacing No Quit in New York.
Follow Frank on X at @RangerProud
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