In Game 1 of the best-of-seven series against the Hurricanes, Artemi Panarin‘s game-winning goal gave the Rangers the victory.
Then it was Vincent Trocheck‘s power-play goal off a rebound during the second overtime to beat Carolina.
Thursday night, it was Panarin’s time once again.
Panarin scored the game-winning goal in overtime Thursday at PNC Arena, giving the Rangers a 3-2 victory in Game 3 and a 3-0 commanding lead in the Eastern Conference second-round playoff series against the Hurricanes.
Panarin finished with a goal and an assist. Rangers wingers Chris Kreider and Alexis Lafrenière each tallied a goal.
Rangers netminder Igor Shesterkin was tremendous once again. After facing 46 shots in regulation, Shesterkin stopped 45 of 47 for the night.
Hurricanes winger Andrei Svechnikov registered two points, including the game-tying goal with 1:36 remaining in regulation. After starting Frederik Andersen in the first two games of the series, Carolina turned to rookie goalie Pyotr Kochetkov for Game 3.
Andersen lost Games 1 and 2 at Madison Square Garden after stopping 54 of 62 shots. Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said they wanted to give Andersen a “little rest.”
Special Teams for both sides continued to be the story in the series. The Hurricanes were 0-for-5 on power play opportunities. Carolina hasn’t made a power-play goal for the series in 15 chances.
The Rangers also didn’t make a power play goal in Game 3. But Kreider scored a short-handed goal for the Rangers during the second period.
From the opening minutes, the Hurricanes seized the momentum. Halfway through the first period, the Rangers had only four shots on goal.
Carolina scored at 10:14 into the first period on Jake Guentzel’s fourth goal of the playoffs, which Dmitry Orlov and Svechnikov assisted.
Like the first two games of the series, the play on both sides was physical. At 11:25 in the first period, a huge scrum broke out around the Hurricanes’ net.
Both teams were called for two minor penalties each. Jimmy Vesey and Orlov were called for roughing. Barclay Goodrow and Jesperi Kotkaniem were put in the box for unsportsmanlike conduct.
During the media timeout following the multiple penalties, former Rangers and current Hurricanes defenseman Tony DeAngelo stood by the Rangers bench and took off his gloves, hoping one of the Blueshirts would fight him.
The Rangers finally got on the board almost halfway through the second period. Following an Adam Fox penalty, Kreider tied the game 1-1 on a short-handed goal (8:30). Mika Zibanejad assisted on Kreider’s goal, which tied him for the most points (12) through seven postseason games.
The game continued to be tied 1-1 in the third period until Alexis Lafrenière (6:25) scored his third goal of the playoff on an assist by Panarin and Trocheck. Lafrenière has eight points in his seven games this postseason.
With less than three minutes remaining in regulation, Kochetkov came off the ice so the Hurricanes could have an extra attacker. With the 6-on-5 advantage, Svechnikov’s wrist shot with 1:36 remaining in the third period tied the game at 2-2.
Unlike Tuesday night’s thriller at The Garden, Panarin scored the game-winning goal 1:42 into overtime.
Filip Chytil, who was thought to be out for the season, returned for the first time since Nov. 2. He missed 78 consecutive games, including six playoff contests, because of an upper-body injury. In late January, Chytil returned to practice but suffered a setback the next day when the Rangers announced that he would miss the remainder of the season.
Chytil returned to practice with the Rangers on April 12. Laviolette said he was medically cleared, but there was still no timetable for his return.
Chytil replaced Matt Rempe and started Game 3 as the left wing on the third line with Alexander Wennberg and Kaapo Kakko.
Game 4 of the series will take place Saturday at 7 p.m. at PNC Arena.
