Trochek, Barkov Score In SO As Panthers Beat Rangers 3-2
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NEW YORK (CBSMiami/AP) — Florida's Vincent Trocheck and Aleksander Barkov scored in the shootout to lift the Panthers over the New York Rangers 3-2 on Sunday night.
James Reimer made 33 saves and two more in the shootout, backing goals from Keith Yandle and Aaron Ekblad for Florida.
This is the first time this season the Rangers have dropped back-to-back games after losing to Columbus on Friday. It's the first time Florida has beaten New York at Madison Square Garden since April 18, 2013.
Henrik Lundqvist made 28 saves in his 700th start. He is only the fifth goaltender in NHL history to play 700 games with one franchise.
New York's Chris Kreider opened the scoring with 6:45 left in the first period on his fourth goal of the season. Derek Stepan skated through the neutral zone untouched and into the Panthers zone. He dished the puck off to Kreider, and he buried a shot from atop the faceoff circle.
Kreider has 10 points in 13 games and Stepan got his 10th assist, becoming one of five Rangers with 10 or more assists this season. Marc Staal also had an assist on the goal.
Yandle tied it in the second period with a shot from the point while the Panthers were on the power play. Yandle's goal came in the defenseman's first trip back to New York since having his rights traded by the Rangers on June 20.
The 30-year-old defenseman signed a seven-year, $44.45 million contract three days after the trade. Yandle spent two years with the Rangers.
The Rangers took a brief lead early in the third when Mats Zuccarello bounced a shot off Zibanejad's body at 1:45. The goal was Zibanejad's fifth of the season, but the Panthers eliminated the deficit when Ekblad scored his fifth of the season with 7:54 left.
NOTES: Prior to the game, Rangers broadcaster Sam Rosen was honored for his induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Rosen was joined on the ice by members of his family and broadcast partner Joe Micheletti, and former partner John Davidson. ... The Rangers scratched D Adam Clendening and C Oscar Lindberg. ... Zibanejad appeared in his 300th game and is three assists away from 100 for his career. ... The Panthers scratched C Seth Griffith, C Jared McCain and D Dylan McIlrath, who was making his first visit to New York since be traded by the Rangers on Nov. 8.
UP NEXT
Rangers: Travel to Pittsburgh on Monday night to play the first game of a home-and-home.
Panthers: Return to BB&T Center to host Philadelphia on Tuesday night.
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