New York Rangers beaten at Madison Square Garden by the Florida Panthers

A difficult night all around for the Rangers saw the Blueshirts come up short to the reigning Eastern Conference Champions. A third loss in four games for the Rangers is cause for concern as they are 1-2-1 in the last four. After a red hot February, this is not good enough, but there will be time enough for that as we get to look ahead for the Rangers additions at the trade deadline.

As a powerplay was expiring, the Rangers were able to work the puck back to the point and a shot from Jacob Trouba was knocked down out in front. Sergei Bobrovsky lost sight of the puck in front of him and was beaten to it by Will Cuylle who was able to slide it between the legs of the Russian goaltender and into the net. A strong start for the Blueshirts as they go up 1-0 in the first period here.

In the second period, Florida would get it back on a powerplay of their own. Brandon Montour would come up the ice with the puck before getting it to Aleksander Barkov. Barkov would juggle the puck in the air past K'Andre Miller and fires a pass across to Sam Reinhart who would put it home. Barkov's brilliance got that goal for the Panthers, but we're now all tied up at one with a lot of time to go in the second period.

Sam Reinhart would strike again when Gustav Forsling played a pass to Aleksander Barkov on a hard dump into the corner. As he retrieved the puck, he got it back to Reinhart who was able to pull the trigger the second he was in control. As he let it fly, it beat Igor Shesterkin for his second goal of the period and the Rangers were now trailing. A difficult period for the blueshirts to this point, now they needed more from their group.

Before the end of the period, the Rangers powerplay would get this game back on level terms. A Vincent Trocheck faceoff win got the puck back to Adam Fox at the point who laid it off to Artemi Panarin. Panarin got it to Trocheck in the high slot for a shot that was knocked down by Bobrovsky. Chris Kreider was stationed right in front to gather the loose change and wrap it around Bobrovsky to tie this game up at two going into the second intermission.

Florida would regain its lead as Ryan Lomberg fired a floater on net from the blueline. Igor Shesterkin just didn't react to it as it fluttered between the legs of Jacob Trouba and into the corner of the net. Eventually, Anton Lundell would hit the empty net to put the game out of reach, and the Rangers now have some concerns after being red hot in the month of February. It's a trend the blueshirts have to balk.