The Florida Panthers and New York Rangers face off in a pivotal Game 6 of the Stanley Cup playoffs on June 2, 2024. The series currently stands at 3-2 in favor of Florida (3-0, 1-2 OT, 4-5 OT, 3-2 OT, 3-2).
Game 5 was held in New York and was critical for both teams, as each needed two more wins to advance. Victory in that game would have put either team halfway to the goal. Throughout the series, the Florida Panthers have demonstrated superiority in several facets of the game. The Panthers’ coaching staff prepared impeccably, effectively neutralizing the Rangers’ power play. New York, one of the league’s top teams in that area, managed only one power-play goal in five games. Florida also found ways to contain the Rangers’ top line. Before Game 5, Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider had not registered a single point. Similarly, Artemi Panarin, New York’s top scorer in the regular season, has been largely neutralized—an all-too-familiar trend for the Russian forward in the playoffs. However, a different hero emerged from the second line: Alexis Lafreniere scored in Game 5, but it was too little, too late. The one area Florida has struggled to control—and may not have time to fix with Game 6 potentially being the series decider—is the Rangers’ counterattacks. The Panthers have even found a way to beat Igor Shesterkin, as constant pressure eventually converts quantity into quality.
The Rangers started Game 5 with more energy, as befits a home team. Early in the first period, they fired multiple shots on Sergei Bobrovsky and created several scoring chances, including during a power play, but could not score—the man advantage struggles continued. However, the Rangers’ aggressive push was not something Florida feared. The most dangerous moment of the opening frame actually came from the visitors: Sam Bennett found himself all alone in front of Shesterkin, had plenty of time, beat the goalie, but rang the puck off the post. The first period ended scoreless. Early in the second period, the Rangers finally broke the deadlock to the delight of the home crowd. Once again, it came off a counterattack while shorthanded—New York remains the best penalty-killing team in the playoffs by a wide margin. K’Andre Miller drew back-to-back penalties, and during the second two minutes, Zibanejad set up Kreider for a breakaway. Bobrovsky had no chance.
The visitors did not dwell on the goal. First, they killed off another penalty effectively, and then, after the Rangers turned the puck over, Florida orchestrated a quick counter of their own. Gustav Forsling beat Shesterkin in close. From that point, Florida intensified the pressure. Panthers forwards repeatedly found themselves alone in front of Shesterkin, but the Rangers’ goaltender made save after save. However, a shot by Anton Lundell in the middle of the third period proved unstoppable. The Rangers then pulled their goalie for an extra attacker, and Florida scored an empty-netter. Alexis Lafreniere did give New York a glimmer of hope, but with 50 seconds left, they could not tie the game, and now face elimination in Game 6.
—
**Writer:** Maxim Sidorov
**Source:** Match Center
