Tough guy Matt Rempe on Friday added the excitement the Rangers lacked in Game 1 against defending Eastern Conference champions the Florida Panthers, while linemate Barclay Goodrow gave New York and their fans something even more important — an overtime goal.
Goodrow scored 14 minutes, 1 second into the extra period to give the Rangers a 2-1 victory in Game 2, evening the conference final. The fourth-line center has four goals in the post-season, matching his total in 80 regular-season games.
“It was great, a massive goal. A really clutch goal,” Rangers forward Alexis Lafreniere said. “We were playing good, they were playing good. A tight game. Obviously, we didn’t like our Game 1. Tonight was a big game and we played well.”
Photo: AFP
Goodrow fired a snap shot between the circles over goalie Sergei Bobrovsky’s right shoulder, sending the Madison Square Garden crowd that had been sitting on edge into a frenzy. It was his second winner in the playoffs, with the other coming against the Washington Capitals.
“When you see someone who does so many other things to help a team be successful, I’m really happy for a guy like that to make a huge impact in the game tonight,” Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said.
The Rangers really needed the win. Since the league went to conferences in 1967-1968, no team has lost the first two games at home and came back to win the conference final.
“You shouldn’t beat the Presidents’ Trophy winner twice in a row, you really shouldn’t,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. “We got that to overtime. I liked it. We just couldn’t get it to go. It was two really good goaltenders at each end. It was exciting.”
Vincent Trocheck scored early and had the primary assist on Goodrow’s goal, while Igor Shesterkin made 26 saves for New York — six in the overtime.
The Rangers made only one lineup change after losing the opener of the best-of-seven series 3-0, and it was the 2m-tall Rempe replacing Kaapo Kakko. The crowd loved it and cheered the big guy with every hit. They roared when he was forced to take a faceoff and won it.
“It was a blast, so much fun,” Rempe said.
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