Rangers defeat Panthers on Vincent Trocheck's shorthanded goal
Rangers center Vincent Trocheck (16) is congratulated after scoring a goal during the third period of an NHL game against the Florida Panther on Monday in Sunrise, Fla. Credit: AP/Lynne Sladky
SUNRISE, Fla. — Vincent Trocheck’s shorthanded goal at 3:40 of the third period turned out to be the game-winner as the Rangers earned a split on their two-game road trip with a 5-3 victory over the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers Monday night in Amerant Bank Arena.
Trocheck, who started his NHL career with the Panthers and was playing in his 800th NHL game, one-timed a pass from J.T. Miller past goalie Sergei Bobrovsky for his 25th goal of the season as the Rangers rallied from a 3-1 second period deficit.
The victory lifted the Rangers’ record to 38-36-7, with one game remaining in their season, Thursday at Madison Square Garden against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Saturday’s loss in Carolina had eliminated them from playoff contention.
Sam Reinhart had two goals for Florida, the second of which had put them up, 3-1, before goals by Juuso Parssinen and Miller brought the Rangers level entering the third period. Matt Rempe, who had scored the Rangers’ first goal, was in the penalty box, sitting out a tripping penalty when Trocheck scored.
Jonny Brodzinski, centering a fourth line between Rempe and Chris Kreider, added an insurance goal with 3:29 remaining, punching in a pass from Kreider for his career-high 12th goal of the season.
Florida got off to a fast start when Reinhart blasted a shot from the top of the slot past goalie Jonathan Quick (27 saves) to open the scoring on a power play at 2:22 of the first period with Rangers’ defenseman K’Andre Miller in the penalty box for cross-checking Reinhart.
The Rangers tied it up when Rempe swept in a rebound for his second goal of the season at 8:43 of the first.
Florida got the first two goals of the second period, from Carter Verhaeghe at 4:32 and Reinhart at 13:54, but Juuso Parssinen, playing his third straight game after being a healthy scratch for the previous five, tipped in K’Andre Miller’s shot to pull the Rangers within 3-2 at 15:55, and less than two minutes later, at 17:33, Mika Zibanejad set up J.T. Miller on a two-on-one for the goal that tied it at 3-3.
Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
