Panthers Punch Their Ticket to the Stanley Cup Finals With Game Six Triumph

The Florida Panthers were hoping to punch their ticket to the Stanley Cup Finals for the second consecutive season with a victory against the New York Rangers on home ice as the Eastern Conference Finals made its way back to Sunrise, Florida for Game Six of the exciting series. After defeating the Capitals and Hurricanes in their previous two series, the Rangers faced elimination for the first time this postseason going into tonight's game. Finding their power play magic, which has vanished in the Conference Finals as they have gone just 1-for-14 with the man advantage, was a crucial goal for the Rangers going into Game Six in an attempt to force a pivotal Game Seven back in New York. Meanwhile, the Panthers sought to continue wearing out the Rangers’ defense as they had done in the past two games, outshooting the Rangers 77-50. The Panthers' explosive offensive approach would continue to pose a threat to the Rangers in Game Six, as the Panthers triumphed 2-1 to move on to the Stanley Cup Finals and put an end to the season of the Rangers. 

In the first period, four minutes into the game, the Rangers went on the penalty kill when Vincent Trocheck was given a hooking penalty, which put the Panthers on the power play for the first time. The Rangers would, however, fend off the penalty to prevent the Panthers from taking an early lead. Midway through the period, at 11:30, the Rangers would go on the man advantage when Kyle Okposo of the Panthers was given a penalty for interfering with Jonny Brodzinski of the Rangers as New York entered the Panthers' zone. Nevertheless, the Panthers would kill the penalty, as they have fended off 32 of their past 34 penalties. With 48 seconds remaining in the first period, Sam Bennett and Evan Rodrigues entered the Rangers' zone close to the left side of the rink. Bennett then passed the puck to Rodrigues out in front, who backhanded it to Bennett, who slapped it over goalie Igor Shesterkin's glove side, off the post, and into the back of the net to give the Panthers a late 1-0 lead. The Rangers would debate for some time whether to challenge the goal for offsides, but ultimately head coach Peter Laviolette would opt to let it stand.  

After a combined 66 hits in the opening 40 minutes of play, both sides in the second period settled into their respective game plans and increased the aggressiveness of the game. The Panthers were ahead 1-0 after the second and just 20 minutes away from a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals when the third period got underway. The Panthers would hold a 24-18 advantage in shots on goal and a 14-9 edge in blocked shots through the first two periods. With their season hanging in the balance, the Rangers headed into the third period hoping to generate any offense to keep their season alive. 

In the third period, midway through at 10:52, the Panthers would extend their lead to 2-0 after Eetu Luostarinen chipped the puck into the Rangers' zone, and Anton Lundell corralled it and cross-iced it to Vladimir Tarasenko, who was waiting near the right post to wrist-shot the puck past Shesterkin and into the net to give the Panthers that elusive two-goal lead. The Rangers would pull Shesterkin for the extra attacker with 2:30 remaining in regulation in an attempt to stage a late comeback and escape elimination. With 1:39 remaining, Artemi Panarin of the Rangers received a feed from Trocheck in the right circle, and he sent the puck past Sergei Bobrovsky of the Panthers to cut the Panthers' lead to 2-1. Nevertheless, it would be too late, as the Panthers, who have now made it to the Stanley Cup Finals in back-to-back seasons, would hold off the Presidents' Trophy-winning Rangers. The Panthers will now have to wait to find out who they will play against in the Stanley Cup Final, which begins next Saturday, in the outcome of the Stars vs. Oilers Western Conference Finals matchup.