The Bruins got on the board first, scoring a power-play goal just over 10 minutes into the game, but the Rangers battled back with a goal of their own 34 seconds later by J.T. Miller, his first as a Ranger since Feb. 25, 2018.

However, the Bruins came storming back with three goals of their own, including another power-play goal, to take a commanding 4-1 lead after two periods. Miller answered back again with a power-play goal of his own 35 seconds into the third period, but Boston regained its three-goal lead less than a minute later on Pastrnak’s second goal.

The Rangers got within 5-3 when Jonny Brodzinski scored his fourth of the season at 10:27, but they never got any closer. Pastrnak hit the empty net to complete his hat trick and send the Rangers back to New York on a three-game losing streak.

Miller (2) and Brodzinski were the goal scorers for New York, while Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, Chris Kreider, Ryan Lindgren, and Will Borgen each had an assist. It was another rough game in goal for Igor Shesterkin, who allowed five goals on 24 shots. He’s had a save percentage of .846 or lower in each of his last three games — all losses.

Related: Rangers lose third straight, spoil J.T. Miller’s two-goal return with 6-3 loss to Bruins

3 Rangers takeaways from 6-3 loss to Bruins

Here are three takeaways from the game Saturday:

J.T. Miller scores two in Rangers return, but it’s not enough

There was plenty to love about the return of J.T. Miller. The 2011 first-round pick of the Blueshirts scored two goals less than 24 hours after being acquired from the Vancouver Canucks. He was noticeable right away, getting shots on goal early and providing physicality to the first line. Miller finished with two goals, six shots, three hits and a minus-1 rating in 18:48 of ice time.

Back like he never left.

Well done, J.T.! pic.twitter.com/a9CVqEGPnR

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) February 1, 2025

It would have been nice to get the win for Miller, who was the most impactful Ranger on the ice, but defensive lapses and poor special-teams play ultimately cost them the win. Nonetheless, Miller’s debut was a great sign for the Rangers going forward. He seemed to fit right in and contributed in a big way. No. 8 should end up as a key component as New York continues to push for the playoffs.

Rangers PK loses battle against Bruins’ woeful power play

If there was any battle that the Rangers needed to win against the Bruins, it was shutting down their power play, which has been among the worst in the NHL. Heading into Saturday’s game, the Bruins were 30th in the league with the extra man — and they were going up against the Rangers’ fourth-ranked penalty kill.

But instead of shutting down Boston’s power play, the Rangers’ penalty-killers gave up two goals. Boston scored the game’s first goal two seconds after a 5-on-3 advantage expired, but the real dagger came when the B’s capitalized on another power play to make it 4-1 in the final minutes of the second period. The Rangers ended up 1-for-3 on both the penalty kill and power play, two areas that could have swung the game in their favor with better performances.

Wild-card gap is growing after three straight losses

The Rangers still have 31 games to play, but losing this one really hurts in terms of the wild-card race. The Bruins, who entered the day one point out of the second wild card, extended their lead over the Rangers to six points. New York is stuck at 52 points, 13th in the Eastern Conference, six points out of the second wild card, which is now held by the Tampa Bay Lightning — the B’s and Bolts, who lost 3-2 in overtime to the New York Islanders, each have 58 points; however, Boston has played three more games.

The Rangers did a great job of climbing back into the playoff picture by starting January 8-1-3 after bottoming out in December, but they’ve stalled out over their past three games. Failing to get at least one point against the Colorado Avalanche last Sunday in a 5-4 loss that was decided with 15 seconds left in regulation time is turning out to be a back-breaker, especially since they’ve lost the next two games by a combined score of 10-3.

The Rangers don’t have much time to regroup; they return to Madison Square Garden to host the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday; to say they need a win would be greatly understating the issue. After that, they’ll get a chance for revenge against the Bruins when Boston comes to the Garden on Wednesday.

“We’ve said it multiple times: Winning the Stanley Cup is not supposed to be easy,” Vincent Trocheck said via NHL.com. “It’s these kind of moments that really form a team into a team that can become a championship team. So I think going into tomorrow, we just have to not take for granted the position that we’re in and not take for granted the opportunity that we have ahead of us.”

The Blueshirts are in this position after dropping both Game’s 4 and 5 by 3-2 scores. Despite Igor Shesterkin continuously giving them elite goaltending and a chance to win, the Rangers are struggling to penetrate the tough Panthers’ defense to reach those key high-danger scoring areas.

In New York’s three losses during this Eastern Conference Final, they’ve scored a grand total of four goals. It’s simply not good enough against a battle-tested Florida squad that is content to grind games out and win it by one goal.

If the team hopes to continue on, they will need more from their top players, as well as depth guys. There were signs of an offensive spark in Thursday’s loss with Chris Kreider finally writing his name on the scoresheet in this series with a shorthanded goal. Mika Zibanejad also picked up his first points against the Panthers with two assists, and Artemi Panarin had double-digit shot attempts.

“Win a game,” Kreider stated, “Go down there and win one game. Play our best game, and give ourselves a chance.”

Easier said than done, but the Rangers have no other choices.

Here’s today’s game and broadcast info:

New York Rangers vs Florida Panthers (GAME 6)
Date/Time: June 1, 2024 @ 8:00 PM ET
Arena: Amerant Bank Arena
TV: ABC
Radio: ESPN 98.7 FM
Series: 3-2 (FL)

Note: Subject to change, updated for each game

Related: 3 reasons for optimism against Panthers

New York Rangers projected lineup

Here’s the expected lineup:

Kreider – Zibanejad – Chytil
Panarin – Trocheck – Lafreniere
Roslovic– Wennberg – Kakko
Cuylle – Goodrow – Rempe

Lindgren – Fox
Miller – Scheider
Gustafsson – Trouba

Shesterkin
Quick

Note: The Rangers will hold a morning skate at 11:30 A.M. ET. Head coach Peter Laviolette will address the media around that time. Check back here for updates.

New York Rangers vs Florida Panthers (Round 3)

Rangers leading playoff scorers:

Goals – Kreider (8), Lafreniere (8), Trocheck (8)
Assists – Zibanejad (13)
Points – Trocheck (19)

Rangers playoff goalie stats:

Igor Shesterkin: 10-5, 2.36 GAA, .924 SV%

Notes:

This is the second time the Rangers have played the Panthers in the playoffs. They won the 1997 Eastern Conference Quarterfinal in five games. Wayne Gretzky led the team in scoring with six points (four goals, two assists), including a memorable natural hat trick in the second period of Game 4. New York was 1-2-0 during the regular-season against Florida, but are 6-1-1 in their last eight at home against them.

The Rangers are just the sixth Presidents’ Trophy winner to reach the Conference Final since 2004.

Matt Rempe became the first Rangers’ player to score a goal in his NHL Playoffs debut since defenseman Matt Gilroy scored in Game 1 of the 2011 Conference Quarterfinals against the Capitals.

Including the regular season and playoffs, when the Rangers score four or more goals in a game, they are 41-0-1.

Including the regular season and playoffs, the Rangers have 34 comeback wins setting an NHL single-season record.

New York tied a franchise record set in 1994 winning seven straight games to open the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Rangers have four overtime wins in the playoffs, tying the franchise record set by the 2014-15 squad.

The Rangers are 25-22 all-time in Game 6s.

Upcoming Milestones

• The next Rangers playoff shutout will be the first since Henrik Lundqvist beat the Montreal Canadiens 2-0 on 4/12/17 (R1, G1).
• Chris Kreider is 1 goal away for most franchise goals when facing elimination. He’s tied with Mark Messier at 16 goals.

Time after time, the Panthers dump the puck into the Rangers end of the ice and then cause havoc for long stretches. Florida is continuously beating New York to pucks, and winning a large majority of 50/50 battles. Furthermore, even when the Rangers appear to have a moment to clear the zone or make a play up ice, they tend to make a bad pass to either ice the puck or turn it over.

So, what adjustment can the Rangers make to stop the Florida surge in their own zone? One former Ranger turned analyst has the answer, and that’s to stop playing man on man coverage.

Related: Rangers need stars to awaken in Game 5

Brian Boyle wants Rangers to stop playing man on man

“You can survive a few shifts, a period, but it’s very taxing to defend for as long as they have to defend, and the way they’re defending,” said Brian Boyle during MSG Network’s postgame coverage of Game 4.

“There was too much man on man allowing penetration in through the dots in front of Igor Shesterkin’s net. They can’t dictate play when they have that many shifts in their own end. They don’t have the energy to put Florida on their heels, and it was evident throughout (the game).”

Not loving this man on man in D zone. Florida is waiting for it and exposing it off cycles both low and high in the zone.

— Brian Boyle (@BriBrows22) May 29, 2024

Boyle, 39, who played on Broadway for five seasons, and was on the last Rangers’ squad to make it to the Stanley Cup Final (2014), ultimately losing to the Los Angeles Kings in five games. He certainly knows what he’s talking about, since his role during that time was as a bottom-six forward, shutting down the opposition’s top line and disrupting zone breakouts with aggressive forechecking.

“This is a disaster,” Boyle added on the Up In The Blue Seats podcast. “You can’t play man on man and have success in the NHL, because the players are too good. And you certainly can’t do it in the Eastern Conference Final against the other best team in the Eastern Conference. The Carolina Hurricanes have been doing it for six years, and for six years they’ve fallen short.”

All this being said, the good news is another former Blueshirt turned analyst, Steve Valiquette, believes that should be an easy thing to clean up ahead of Thursday’s crucial Game 5 at Madison Square Garden.

“We’re spending too much time playing defense,” coach Peter Laviolette said Tuesday. “We’re not able to move and generate the way we want to out there. They come at you hard. They dump a lot of pucks, they forecheck hard, so you don’t spend a lot of time in the offensive zone… That’s something we’ve done a better job with at home of controlling the play.”

One thing is for sure, the Rangers better do something different in how they defend Florida’s aggressive forecheck, or they could be facing elimination on Saturday.

Despite being dominated most of the time in Florida, each contest was decided in overtime. Alex Wennberg was able to salvage Game 3 for New York, but an awful turnover by Mika Zibanejad in Game 4 set the stage for Sam Reinhart’s power-play goal to knot the series up.

“I should have probably just made a different play,” Zibanejad said Tuesday. “I can’t change it now. That’s sports. I can just come back and try to make another decision next time and hope it goes my way.”

Actually, nothing has been going his way lately. Prior to the start of this series, Zibanejad had 14 points in 10 playoff games, but he’s been shutout through four games. As goes Mika, so goes his best bud Chris Kreider, who has also been blanked by the Panthers.

“They’re working,” Rangers coach Peter Laviolette defended the duo. “We’re spending a little bit too much time playing defense, and so we’re not able to move and generate the way that we want to out there. [The Florida Panthers] come at you hard, they dump a lot of pucks, they forecheck hard, and so you’re not spending time in the right zone. [Zibanejad and Kreider] want to get into the offensive zone where they can make an impact in the game. That’s something I thought we did a much better job at home of controlling the play.”

The Rangers could also use a little more from Artemi Panarin, who led the team in regular-season scoring with 120 points. To date, he’s managed 14 points in 14 postseason games, but only has three assists versus Florida. Same can be said for defenseman Adam Fox, who has been a shadow of himself with just seven assists in 14 playoff games. It’s obvious that he’s being hampered by a lingering undisclosed injury aggravated after another knee-on-knee collision sustained in Game 4 of the first round against the Washington Capitals.

That being said, all teams are playing banged up to a degree at this time of year. However, if the Rangers hope to reach the Stanley Cup Final, they can’t rely solely on Igor Shesterkin to shutout the Panthers twice in what is now a best-of-3 affair.

It’s time for the stars to show up.

Here’s today’s game and broadcast info:

New York Rangers vs Florida Panthers (GAME 5)
Date/Time: May 30, 2024 @ 8:00 PM ET
Arena: Madison Square Garden
TV: ESPN
Radio: ESPN 98.7 FM
Series: 2-2

Note: Subject to change, updated for each game

Related: 3 reasons for optimism against Panthers

New York Rangers projected lineup

Here’s the expected lineup:

Kreider – Zibanejad – Roslovic
Panarin – Trocheck – Lafreniere
Cuylle– Wennberg – Kakko
Wheeler – Goodrow – Rempe

Lindgren – Fox
Miller – Trouba
Gustafsson – Schneider

Shesterkin
Quick

Note: The Rangers will hold a morning skate at 10:30 A.M. ET. Head coach Peter Laviolette will address the media around that time. Check back here for updates.

New York Rangers vs Florida Panthers (Round 3)

Rangers vs Panthers schedule

Rangers leading playoff scorers:

Goals – Trocheck (8)
Assists – Trocheck (11), Zibanejad (11)
Points – Trocheck (19)

Rangers playoff goalie stats:

Igor Shesterkin: 10-4, 2.37 GAA, .923 SV%

Notes:

This is the second time the Rangers have played the Panthers in the playoffs. They won the 1997 Eastern Conference Quarterfinal in five games. Wayne Gretzky led the team in scoring with six points (four goals, two assists), including a memorable natural hat trick in the second period of Game 4. New York was 1-2-0 during the regular-season against Florida, but are 6-1-1 in their last eight at home against them.

The Rangers are just the sixth Presidents’ Trophy winner to reach the Conference Final since 2004.

Matt Rempe became the first Rangers’ player to score a goal in his NHL Playoffs debut since defenseman Matt Gilroy scored in Game 1 of the 2011 Conference Quarterfinals against the Capitals.

Including the regular season and playoffs, when the Rangers score four or more goals in a game, they are 41-0-1.

Including the regular season and playoffs, the Rangers have 34 comeback wins setting an NHL single-season record.

New York tied a franchise record set in 1994 winning seven straight games to open the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Rangers have four overtime wins in the playoffs, tying the franchise record set by the 2014-15 squad.

The Rangers are 11-12 all-time in Game 5s at MSG.

“A lot of times in the playoffs it’s about making sure you keep that energy full. You cut off losses and let it go,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said Sunday. “But then there’s times you want to keep it, eat it, and let it burn for a while to find a different energy source. I think you put up whatever we put up, and you don’t come away with a win we should be a little growly.”

Florida let fly 108 shot attempts to New York’s 44. However, only 37 made it towards Igor Shesterkin, who was stellar turning aside 33 of them. On the other end, Sergei Bobrovsky only faced 23 shots, but let in five goals. Which speaks to the argument of quality over quantity.

By scoring two highlight-reel goals, one of which is a candidate for best goal of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Alexis Lafreniere was the offensive star of the game. It was also the first time he’s found the back of the net since Game 4 of Round 2 against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Not to be outdone, Barclay Goodrow also scored twice and has been on a tear by scoring three of the team’s last six goals going back to the OT winner in Game 2. The snarly veteran now has six goals in the postseason after a difficult regular season where he only scored four times.

That being said, the Blueshirts have yet to get a goal in this series from Mika Zibanejad (0 pts), Chris Kreider (0 pts), Artemi Panarin (1 assist), and Adam Fox (1 assist). All four players are too talented to be held off the scoresheet for long, and if any one of them should finally break through, New York may be off to the races in Game 4.

One thing is for sure, the Rangers are going to have to continuing dealing with a Panthers squad that is happy to play dirty, and then throw themselves on the ice every time they get touched.

For a team that loves to talk about how hitting is in their DNA, diving is something they do often. Whether it’s Bobrovsky flopping and dropping his stick every time a Ranger player is near him, or Sam Reinhart rolling around the ice crying causing referees to blow the play dead as the Rangers were breaking up ice 4-on-2, the Panthers are embarrassing the on-ice officials.

“They thought the player was injured to the point where they had to stop,” Rangers coach Peter Laviolette told the NY Post on Monday. “I don’t think my opinion matters at this point. [But] because it happened, I would like to see the play continue.” 

By the way, the Panthers have a 13-10 advantage on power play through three games in this series. So, don’t expect anything to change until the referees start calling them for embellishment.

Here’s today’s game and broadcast info:

New York Rangers vs Florida Panthers (GAME 4)
Date/Time: May 28, 2024 @ 8:00 PM ET
Arena: Amerant Bank Arena
TV: ESPN
Radio: ESPN 98.7 FM
Series: 2-1 (NYR)

Note: Subject to change, updated for each game

Related: Matt Rempe makes huge impact for Rangers in Game 2

New York Rangers projected lineup

Here’s the expected lineup:

Kreider – Zibanejad – Roslovic
Panarin – Trocheck – Lafreniere
Cuylle– Wennberg – Kakko
Wheeler – Goodrow – Rempe

Lindgren – Fox
Miller – Trouba
Gustafsson – Schneider

Shesterkin
Quick

Note: Filip Chytil is a healthy scratch per multiple reports. Blake Wheeler returns to the lineup since a season-ending leg injury suffered in February.

New York Rangers vs Florida Panthers (Round 3)

Rangers vs Panthers schedule

Rangers leading playoff scorers:

Goals – Kreider (7), Trocheck (7)
Assists – Trocheck (11), Zibanejad (11)
Points – Trocheck (18)

Rangers playoff goalie stats:

Igor Shesterkin: 10-3, 2.33 GAA, .923 SV%

Notes:

This is the second time the Rangers have played the Panthers in the playoffs. They won the 1997 Eastern Conference Quarterfinal in five games. Wayne Gretzky led the team in scoring with six points (four goals, two assists), including a memorable natural hat trick in the second period of Game 4. New York was 1-2-0 during the regular-season against Florida, but are 6-1-1 in their last eight at home against them.

The Rangers are just the sixth Presidents’ Trophy winner to reach the Conference Final since 2004.

Matt Rempe became the first Rangers’ player to score a goal in his NHL Playoffs debut since defenseman Matt Gilroy scored in Game 1 of the 2011 Conference Quarterfinals against the Capitals.

Including the regular season and playoffs, when the Rangers score four or more goals in a game, they are 41-0-1.

Including the regular season and playoffs, the Rangers have 34 comeback wins setting an NHL single-season record.

New York tied a franchise record set in 1994 winning seven straight games to open the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Rangers have four overtime wins in the playoffs, tying the franchise record set by the 2014-15 squad.

Upcoming Milestones

• The next Rangers playoff shutout will be the first since Henrik Lundqvist beat the Montreal Canadiens 2-0 on 4/12/17 (R1, G1).

After a lackluster start where the Rangers were blanked 3-0 in Game 1, Barclay Goodrow played overtime hero for a 2-1 win in Game 2 to even the series on Friday night. Rangers coach Peter Laviolette made some significant lineup adjustments which included the reinsertion of monster-sized rookie Matt Rempe and scratching Kaapo Kakko.

Almost immediately, the tone of the contest had a different feel as Rempe delivered nine big hits in 10:01 of ice time to counter Florida’s physical play. The 21-year-old forward, who normally does not play beyond the second period, was forced into more action due to Jimmy Vesey leaving the game with an upper-body injury after a hard hit by Ryan Lomberg.

“I remember ‘Lavy’ calling my name with two minutes left,” Rempe smiled postgame. “I was like, ‘Oh my God! Let’s go! Jiminy Crickets, let’s go!’ I was just thrown out there and tried to buzz around… And then in overtime, I got a little O-zone shift and was pretty excited about that. It was such a blast.”

Heading into Game 3, Rempe’s spot in the lineup appears solidified, but who comes in for Vesey after he was labeled week to week on Saturday? One option is to put Kakko back in, despite his struggles with just two points (one goal, one assist) in 11 postseason games. Another is to play it safe, and insert reliable veteran Jonny Brodzinski, even though he has no points in two playoff contests.

Of course, Laviolette could go for a bigger and more emotional move by inserting veteran Blake Wheeler, who has battled to come back from a season-ending leg injury sustained in February. At 6-foot-5, Wheeler would give the Rangers a formidable and physical fourth line against a heavy Panthers team.

“I’m hoping he plays, for him,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said before the series. “He’s a hard-working man. That injury, to come back from it, to be good, he will have done everything he possibly can to get back.”

Regardless of which way Laviolette goes with his lineup, the fact still stands that the Rangers must continue to outwork the Panthers as they did in Game 2 to grab their first series lead.

Here’s today’s game and broadcast info:

New York Rangers vs Florida Panthers (GAME 3)
Date/Time: May 26, 2024 @ 3:00 PM ET
Arena: Amerant Bank Arena
TV: ABC
Radio: ESPN 98.7 FM
Series: 1-1

Note: Subject to change, updated for each game

Related: Matt Rempe makes huge impact for Rangers in Game 2

New York Rangers projected lineup

Here’s the expected lineup:

Kreider – Zibanejad – Chytil
Panarin – Trocheck – Lafreniere
Cuylle– Wennberg – Roslovic
Wheeler – Goodrow – Rempe

Lindgren – Fox
Miller – Trouba
Gustafsson – Schneider

Shesterkin
Quick

Note: Head coach Peter Laviolette will address the media at 12:40 P.M. ET. Check back here for updates.

New York Rangers vs Florida Panthers (Round 3)

Rangers vs Panthers schedule

Rangers leading playoff scorers:

Goals – Kreider (7), Trocheck (7)
Assists – Zibanejad (11)
Points – Trocheck (16)

Rangers playoff goalie stats:

Igor Shesterkin: 9-3, 2.22 GAA, .926 SV%

Notes:

This is the second time the Rangers have played the Panthers in the playoffs. They won the 1997 Eastern Conference Quarterfinal in five games. Wayne Gretzky led the team in scoring with six points (four goals, two assists), including a memorable natural hat trick in the second period of Game 4. New York was 1-2-0 during the regular-season against Florida, but are 6-1-1 in their last eight at home against them.

The Rangers are just the sixth Presidents’ Trophy winner to reach the Conference Final since 2004.

Matt Rempe became the first Rangers’ player to score a goal in his NHL Playoffs debut since defenseman Matt Gilroy scored in Game 1 of the 2011 Conference Quarterfinals against the Capitals.

Including the regular season and playoffs, when the Rangers score four or more goals in a game, they are 40-0-1.

New York tied a franchise record set in 1994 winning seven straight games to open the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

In day games (regular season and playoffs), the Rangers are 12-1. New York beat the Washington Capitals in Game 1 (3:00 PM), and the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 1 (4:00 PM).

Upcoming Milestones

• The next Rangers playoff shutout will be the first since Henrik Lundqvist beat the Montreal Canadiens 2-0 on 4/12/17 (R1, G1).

Sure, his 6-foot-8 frame is intimidating, and even more imposing when you add in his willingness to hit, and drop the gloves when needed. His mere presence in the lineup electrifies the crowd, sparks his teammates, and has hockey legends like Mark Messier vying for the 21-year-old tank-sized forward to be a permanent fixture in the Rangers’ lineup.

Above all this, his infectious smile and enthusiasm makes him easy to root for on a team full of stars. It’s a big reason why so many of his teammates have taken a special interest in the youngster making sure he knows they support him.

That was clearly evident in a line brawl to start a 4-3 Rangers’ victory over the rival New Jersey Devils in early April, essentially ending any hopes the Devils’ had of making the playoffs. After being called out by New Jersey enforcer Kurtis MacDermid for not answering a challenge in their previous matchup, where Rempe caught Jonas Siegenthaler with an elbow earning a four-game suspension, every Ranger on the ice stepped up for him.

“It’s just about having each other’s backs,” Barclay Goodrow said. “Remps has been doing that for us since he’s been here, so it was time for us to step up. A rivalry game at MSG, it doesn’t get much better than a line brawl to start it off.”

To date, Rempe has rewarded his teammates by playing hard and physical every time he gets a chance. On Friday night with the Rangers desperate to even their series against the Florida Panthers, he did just that.

Related: It’s a Goody win to even series

Matt Rempe plays special role in Rangers win

Coming into Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Final, there was plenty of lineup questions to see if the Rangers would adjust to a much nastier and heavier opponent than the Carolina Hurricanes.

Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette ultimately opted to change things up against the Panthers by reinserting Rempe in favor of a struggling Kaapo Kakko. While it may have seemed like a no-brainer for many, the rookie normally doesn’t play more than six minutes a game, which could be an issue in the later stages of a contest.

However, in what could be seen as a silver lining to losing Jimmy Vesey (upper-body) on a borderline head shot by Florida’s Ryan Lomberg, Laviolette was forced to play Rempe more than his usual ice time, even using him late in the third period and in overtime.

“I remember Lavi calling my name with two minutes left,” Rempe said after the 2-1 OT victory. “I was like, ‘Oh my God! Let’s go! Jiminy Crickets! Let’s go!’ I was just thrown out there and tried to buzz around… And then in overtime, I got a little O-zone shift and was pretty excited about that. It was such a blast.”

How can you not love this kid?

Rempe was drafted by the Rangers in the sixth round of the 2020 NHL draft, and made his NHL debut on one of the grandest stages possible. On February 18, he became the first player in history to play his first game outdoors at MetLife Stadium. It was also the six-year anniversary of losing his father, Rom Rempe. He honored his dad by winning his first tilt against Matt Martin and sparked his team to a thrilling 6-5 OT win over the New York Islanders.

Matter of fact, all the Rangers seem to do is win with him in the lineup. In eight playoff appearances the Blueshirts are 7-1 when he dresses. Coupled with their 14-2-1 record during the regular season, they are 21-3-1 when Rempemania gets a chance to run wild.

“The fans here are the best, unbelievable,” Rempe smiled. “I don’t want to let them down. I love them so much. I hear them chanting, and I want to go out there and make them proud, and do something.”

Rempe did give the Garden Faithful something to chant his name over by playing 10:01 impactful minutes in the Game 2 win, registering nine hits, one block, and a face-off win.

Since taking the NHL by storm, Rempe has been a polarizing figure outside of Broadway for his big hits and monstrous hits. It’s a shame, because he’s no different than other players in the League that do the same thing, he just does it bigger.

What everyone should be looking at is how pure his heart is, and how much he loves playing the game. He’s a big kid living a dream, with a huge fan smiling down upon him from heaven.

Everyone in New York is smiling with the Rempe’s too.

Matt Rempe getting physical in Game 2. 👊

Catch the 3rd period live on Sportsnet or stream on Sportsnet+ pic.twitter.com/8nLa73nP7l

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 25, 2024

“When you get a player that can do everything, a coach can rely on that person,” coach Peter Laviolette praised Goodrow. “That’s a pretty useful tool in the toolbox.

“He takes faceoffs. Plays all three forward positions. You want him out there at the end of a game if you’re winning, because you can match him up against top lines. Brings physicality, leadership, and he’s a great teammate. When you get a player like that, you appreciate it as a coach of all the things he brings to the table. To see him score a goal like tonight, it’s awesome.”

BARCLAY. GOODROW.
END. GAME. pic.twitter.com/7DpHRjsNco

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) May 25, 2024

To a man, every Blueshirt in the locker room was elated for Goodrow, who struggled with just four goals and eight assists in 80 games during the regular season. However, when Rangers general manager Chris Drury traded for and signed the two-time Stanley Cup winner in 2021, it was with the postseason in mind.

“He’s been so important to the locker room, the leadership group, a lot of stuff no one ever sees or talks about,” captain Jacob Trouba acknowledged. “He’s a massive part of this team. The way he’s been playing in these playoffs — it’s a big reason why he’s one of those guys that gets his team to win … He’s a big time player.”

Related: Kaapo Kakko scratched for Game 2

Rangers even playoff series thanks to Barclay Goodrow

Barclay Goodrow

Goodrow, 31, matched his regular-season goal total after scoring in overtime on Friday. In the playoffs, he has six points (four goals, two assists) in 12 games.

“It feels good whenever you can do something to help the team,” Goodrow said afterwards. “Obviously, I think we played a pretty good game tonight, and it was nice to get rewarded with the win.”

The gritty forward has been often unjustly criticized during his tenure in New York, due to the hefty six-year contract signed in 2021. His salary cap hit of $3.6 million is considered way too much for a fourth-line grinder. However, if the Rangers end a Stanley Cup drought going on 30 years this June, he’ll be worth every single penny.

Vincent Trocheck

Giving Goodrow his flowers on a night where he played the hero is justified. Although, the offensive star of the night was Vincent Trocheck, who finished with two points (one goal, one assist), and is now the team’s leading scorer in the playoffs.

Tic. Tac. TROCH. pic.twitter.com/iHokcDNyy5

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) May 25, 2024

“It was a great play by [Alexis Lafreniere] coming in being physical on the forecheck,” Trocheck described his goal that opened the scoring. “[Adam Fox] made a heads up play. I just had to stand back door and put it into the empty net. It’s always nice to get on the board first.”

The 30-year-old center has 16 points (seven goals, nine assists) in 12 playoff games, and is winning 57.7 percent of his draws.

Matt Rempe

Rangers coach Peter Laviolette opted to change the dynamic of his lineup against the rough and tumble Panthers by reinserting 6-foot-8 Matt Rempe in favor of struggling Kaapo Kakko.

In what was a silver lining to losing Jimmy Vesey (upper-body) on a borderline head shot by Florida’s Ryan Lomberg, Laviolette was forced to play Rempe more than his usual six minutes. Normally, Rempe is stapled to the bench starting in the second period, but last night his number was called with less than two minutes to go in the game.

“I remember ‘Lavi’ calling my name with two minutes left,” Rempe started to explain. “I was like, ‘Oh my God! Let’s go! Jiminy Crickets! Let’s go!’ I was just thrown out there and tried to buzz around … And then in overtime, I got a little O-zone shift and was pretty excited about that. It was such a blast.”

The 21-year-old human tank rewarded his coach with an impactful performance, recording nine hits, one block, and a face-off win in 10:01 of action.

Matt Rempe getting physical in Game 2. 👊

Catch the 3rd period live on Sportsnet or stream on Sportsnet+ pic.twitter.com/8nLa73nP7l

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 25, 2024

Igor Shesterkin

Of course, you can’t review the Rangers’ Game 2 victory without mentioning the excellence of Igor Shesterkin in goal.

Although the Rangers played a brilliant defensive game, when there were breakdowns, the 28-year-old backstop was a wall. He finished the evening with 26 saves on 27 shots upping his postseason record to 9-3. Shesterkin’s save percentage is a stellar .926, and he sports a 2.22 goals-against average.

“You’re going to need some timely saves,” Laviolette noted. “There was a couple of big ones tonight, where they got behind us. I thought he came up huge … To me, that’s a difference maker in the game.”

IT TAKES EVERYONE. pic.twitter.com/ZXKweV0UX0

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) May 25, 2024

After being kept in check for the first time in these playoffs, suffering a 3-0 loss on Wednesday, head coach Peter Laviolette doesn’t believe the Rangers need to make major changes. Speaking on Thursday, Laviolette said he believes the team needs to make a few minor adjustments to turn the tide.

“There’s just things I felt we could’ve done better to push it in our direction,” Laviolette said. “We had a lot of chances to score. We hit the post three times … So there’s opportunities where we could’ve scored that one goal, and it didn’t go. Execution on how we move out of the zone, the details of finishing, just things that you find one goal you push it to overtime. Two goals, and you win it in regulation. Just small things we can do better.”

While the stats show the game was closer than the final score indicated, the Blueshirts struggled getting the puck into Florida’s zone. They also failed to get any traffic in front of Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, which is something they will need to do in order to win this series.

“I think it starts with the forecheck,” veteran Barclay Goodrow explained. “As forwards we can do a better job of getting on the D and creating turnovers. From there, try and get more pucks to the net, making it harder on Bobrovsky. Obviously, he’s a good goalie. If he sees pucks life is easy, and he’ll make most of those saves. So, just making life more difficult on him.”

Another area the Rangers are going to want to focus on is physicality. By no means were they manhandled in Game 1, but the Panthers had a clear edge. One of the Rangers hard-nosed players is rookie Will Cuylle, who led the team in hits during the season with 249, understands the task at hand.

“Throughout the season, when a game doesn’t go our way, we’re ready to go the next game. Especially later in the season, we make the necessary adjustments and the game usually goes our way,” Cuylle affirmed.

At the end of the day, the Rangers will be making adjustments in how they execute. The question remains if they will change the lineup at all. Sitting on their reserve bench is monster-sized rookie Matt Rempe, whose mere presence alone energizes the Garden crowd.

“I’m not questioning the coach right now,” legendary Rangers’ captain Mark Messier stated on the ESPN broadcast about sitting Rempe. “I am saying he does get in on the forecheck, he does ground and pound, he does get the crowd involved and the players do seem to follow that mindset. But right now they’re just playing, in my opinion, a little too careful.”

To date, Laviolette has shown a willingness to insert Rempe in these playoffs, but does not fully trust him. In seven postseason games, he’s registered a goal and averages just 6:19 of ice time, often being stapled to the bench midway through the match. If that’s the case, veteran Blake Wheeler is ready to return from a season-ending leg injury, and his 6-foot-5 frame could add some beef to the lineup.

This is all well and good, but who would Laviolette take out of the lineup? Simply put, he now has too many options, but it’s on him to the deploy a lineup that can win Game 2.

Here’s today’s game and broadcast info:

New York Rangers vs Florida Panthers (GAME 2)
Date/Time: May 24, 2024 @ 8:00 PM ET
Arena: Madison Square Garden
TV: ESPN
Radio: ESPN 98.7 FM
Series: 1-0 FL

Note: Subject to change, updated for each game

Related: Rangers in unfamiliar territory in these playoffs

New York Rangers projected lineup

Here’s the expected lineup:

Kreider – Zibanejad – Roslovic
Panarin – Trocheck – Lafreniere
Chytil– Wennberg – Kakko
Cuylle – Goodrow – Vesey

Lindgren – Fox
Miller – Trouba
Gustafsson – Schneider

Shesterkin
Quick

Note: The Rangers will hold a morning skate (10:30 AM E.T.) at Madison Square Garden. Head coach Peter Laviolette will address the media around that time. Check back here for updates.

New York Rangers vs Florida Panthers (Round 3)

Rangers vs Panthers schedule

Rangers leading playoff scorers:

Goals – Kreider (7)
Assists – Zibanejad (11)
Points – Trocheck (14), Zibanejad (14)

Rangers playoff goalie stats:

Igor Shesterkin: 8-3, 2.37 GAA, .923 SV%

Notes:

This is the second time the Rangers have played the Panthers in the playoffs. They won the 1997 Eastern Conference Quarterfinal in five games. Wayne Gretzky led the team in scoring with six points (four goals, two assists), including a memorable natural hat trick in the second period of Game 4. New York was 1-2-0 during the regular-season against Florida, but are 6-1-1 in their last eight at home against them.

The Rangers are just the sixth Presidents’ Trophy winner to reach the Conference Final since 2004.

Matt Rempe became the first Rangers’ player to score a goal in his NHL Playoffs debut since defenseman Matt Gilroy scored in Game 1 of the 2011 Conference Quarterfinals against the Capitals.

Including the regular season and playoffs, when the Rangers score four or more goals in a game, they are 40-0-1.

New York tied a franchise record set in 1994 winning seven straight games to open the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Rangers are 16-13 all-time in Game 2s at home.

Upcoming Milestones

• The next Rangers playoff shutout will be the first since Henrik Lundqvist beat the Montreal Canadiens 2-0 on 4/12/17 (R1, G1).

Messier thinks it might be time to reinsert Matt Rempe, the 6-foot-8 rookie forward, into the Rangers lineup for Game 2 on Friday at Madison Square Garden.

“Maybe they should think about getting Rempe in the lineup,” Messier said on the ESPN broadcast Wednesday after New York’s 3-0 loss.

“I’m not questioning the coach right now, but I am saying he does get in on the forecheck, he does ground and pound, he does get the crowd involved and the players do seem to follow that mindset. But right now they’re just playing, in my opinion, a little too careful.”

Mark Messier wants Rempe next game. #NYR pic.twitter.com/iAZYq37exP

— David 🏒 (@DaveyUpper) May 23, 2024

If Rangers coach Peter Laviolette has any notion of reinserting Rempe into the lineup, it’d likely happen at The Garden, where Rempe fires up the crowd like no other. Rempe is adored by the MSG Faithful, who go insane for his every shift.

Rempe has played seven of the 11 playoff games this spring, five of those on home ice. He’s only played twice on the road, in Games 3 and 4 at the Washington Capitals in Round 1. He was only used at home — three times — in the second round against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Not only does Rempe whip the Garden crowd into a frenzy, but Laviolette has the last change and can carefully deploy when and how it best suits the Blueshirts. Laviolette has been very careful how Rempe is used, his minutes are sheltered and he’s averaging 6:18 in ice time per game.

Related: Why Rangers ‘need more of everything’ in Game 2 against Panthers

Can Matt Rempe provide boost for Rangers if he plays in Game 2 vs. Panthers?

As Messier pointed out, Rempe gets in on the forecheck, is a massive net-front presence and could help the Rangers initiate physical play against the rugged Panthers. So, there’s substance to bringing the rookie back.

But if Rempe does play in Game 2, someone has to come out of the lineup. Filip Chytil was largely ineffective in nine-plus minutes on the third line Wednesday. Of course, Chytil was playing only his second game in more than six months following an upper-body injury believed to be a concussion and is the better threat to boost offensive production in the bottom six.

Will Cuylle moved from the third line down to the fourth in Game 1 and played fewer than eight minutes. However, he was effective with four hits, including a huge one against Aleksander Barkov late in the first period, and a breakaway scoring opportunity early in the second.

Cuylle laying the body on Barkov. 💥

📺: Sportsnet
📲: Stream on Sportsnet+ pic.twitter.com/WJwshVM2UB

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 23, 2024

It’s unlikely Jimmy Vesey, Barclay Goodrow, Kaapo Kakko nor Alex Wennberg are coming out of the bottom six. So, it’s a dilemma for Laviolette.

The Rangers, though, were blanketed by the Panthers in Game 1 and need to win more battles and generate more offense.

“Let’s get the emotional level up,” Messier said. “It seems to be they’re playing a little too careful, a little too conservative. They’ve got to get themselves a little more emotional.”

We know where The Captain stands. It’s your move coach.