It is getting late in the race for the playoffs now, and there is no more time for encouraging efforts that end up in losses.
So when the Blueshirts entered the third period Tuesday against the Washington Capitals at the Garden down a goal, they simply had to find a way to win. They found one. Its name was Artemi Panarin.
Panarin created two goals in the third period and scored another as the Rangers came from behind to cool off the red hot Capitals, 5-2, snapping their losing streak at two games and keeping their playoff dreams alive for another day.