The Florida Panthers had a brief second period lead, but ended up falling 5-2 to the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden in its last game before taking a long siesta.
Chris Kreider scored the game-winner and added an insurance goal, both on the power play, and Igor Shesterkin made 34 saves to end Florida’s four-game winning streak.
Kreider also drew the lone assist on Alexis Lafreniere’s goal that knotted the score at two apiece. Artemi Panarin added a third Rangers power-play into an empty net and set up two goals.
After Mika Zibanejad opened the scoring unassisted 35 seconds into the game when Gustav Forsling deflected his centering pass by a helpless Spencer Knight, and the Panthers had an Owen Tippett goal waived off due to an earlier offsides, Anthony Duclair replied for the Cats at the 10:44 mark.