Rangers remain undefeated in OT as Wennberg scores to defeat Panthers

*Photo from the Miami Herald*

New York leads series 2-1

   Anyone want a barn burner here? Barclay Goodrow scored two goals, Alex Wennberg scored the game winning goal, and the New York Rangers defeated the Florida Panthers with a 5-4 overtime win Sunday in Sunrise.

   Having split the first two games, the Rangers won the first game in Florida to take the series lead. Goodrow and Alexis Lafreniere each had two goals while Vincent Trocheck and Jacob Trouba each had two assists. The Rangers also remained undefeated in overtime, sitting at 4-0 these playoffs.

   Sam Reinhart opened the scoring 2:50 into the game for the Panthers, making it 1-0 as he scored on the power play. At the 7:17 mark of the first, Lafreniere scored his 5th goal of the playoffs, tying the game 1-1. Goodrow scored 25 seconds later, giving the Rangers a 2-1 lead with Braden Schneider and Will Cuylle assisting.

   On the power play at the 14:46 mark of the period, Reinhart scored his second goal of the game to tie the game 2-2. The Rangers took the lead 15:23 into the second period behind Lafreniere's second goal of the game. With 1:46 left in the period, the Rangers made it a 4-2 lead when Goodrow scored shorthanded.

   Aleksander Barkov scored 5:04 into the 3rd period for the Panthers, making it 4-3 with Carter Verhaeghe and Niko Mikkola assisting. Gustav Forsling then scored 6:58 into the period to tie the game and force overtime. Wennberg scored his first goal of the playoffs 5:35 into overtime, sending the Rangers home with the win.

   Wennberg said after the game that "The third period didn't end the way we want it, but you have to go in and reset. 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."

   Getting the start between the pipes for the Rangers was Igor Shesterkin, who picked up his second straight win of the series and 10th of the playoffs. Shesterkin made 33 saves on 37 shots from the Panthers, good for a .892 save percentage.

   It was Sergei Bobrovsky once again in net for the Panthers, starting opposite Shesterkin for the Rangers. In his second straight loss, Bobrovsky stopped 18 of the 23 shots the Rangers sent his way, posting a .783 save percentage.

   Florida head coach Paul Maurice said after the game that "Sometimes you want to keep the growl. A lot of times in the playoffs it is about keeping your energy going. Cut off losses, let it go. Then there are times you want to keep it, to eat it, let it burn for a little while and find a different kind of energy source."

   Game 4 of the series is set for Tuesday night in Sunrise. The Rangers will look for their 3rd straight win to put the Panthers on the brink of elimination, while the Panthers look to tie the series and force a game 6.