Florida Panthers lose Game 3 East finals dominant performance

Florida Panthers dominated New York Rangers in Game 3 but lost in overtime, trailing 2-1 in series. Can they recover?

The Florida Panthers showcased a dominant performance against the New York Rangers in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals, with 108 shot attempts compared to New York's 44. Despite having 37 shots on goal to New York's 23 and scoring two power play goals, the Panthers fell short as the Rangers secured a 5-4 victory in overtime.

Alex Wennberg of the Rangers scored the game-winning goal, deflecting the puck past Sergei Bobrovsky. This loss marked the Panthers' second consecutive defeat in the postseason, the first time they have experienced back-to-back losses. With New York taking a 2-1 lead in the series, Panthers' center Sam Reinhart acknowledged the frustration of losing a close game and emphasized the need for improvement despite dominating in various aspects.

The Panthers showed resilience by storming back from a two-goal deficit with goals from Aleksander Barkov and Gustav Forsling in the third period. However, their efforts were not enough to secure a win as Igor Shesterkin's 33 saves helped the Rangers clinch their fourth overtime victory of the postseason. Looking ahead to Game 4, the Panthers aim to refocus mentally and physically to avoid falling into a 3-1 hole in the series.

Head coach Paul Maurice highlighted the importance of using the loss as motivation, emphasizing the need to maintain energy and learn from mistakes. Despite the disappointment of the defeat, the Panthers remain determined to bounce back and showcase their resilience in the upcoming games.