Rangers get first 2-goal comeback of their season, rally to top Panthers 5-3

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New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck (16) celebrates with left wing J.T. Miller (8) after scoring a goal during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Florida Panthers, Monday, April 14, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

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New York Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick (32) can’t stop the puck on a goal scored by Florida Panthers center Sam Reinhart, not shown, during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Monday, April 14, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

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New York Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick, left, and defenseman Adam Fox (23) defend the goal against Florida Panthers left wing Jonah Gadjovich (12) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Monday, April 14, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

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New York Rangers defenseman Will Borgen (17) defends Florida Panthers right wing Jesse Puljujarvi (20) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Monday, April 14, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

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Florida Panthers center Sam Reinhart, second from left, reacts after scoring a goal against New York Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick (32) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Monday, April 14, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

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The puck gets past New York Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick (32) on a goal scored by Florida Panthers center Carter Verhaeghe (23) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Monday, April 14, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

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Florida Panthers center Carter Verhaeghe (23) stands with center Aleksander Barkov, left, after scoring a goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Rangers, Monday, April 14, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

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Florida Panthers center Carter Verhaeghe, second from left, is congratulated after scoring a goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Rangers, Monday, April 14, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

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Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, left, defends the goal against New York Rangers left wing Chris Kreider (20) during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Monday, April 14, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

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New York Rangers center Jonny Brodzinski (22) and Florida Panthers left wing Jonah Gadjovich (12) go for the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Monday, April 14, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

By Tim Reynolds

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Vincent Trocheck scored a short-handed goal early in the third period against his former team, and the New York Rangers beat the Florida Panthers 5-3 on Monday night.

Trocheck, playing in his 800th game, got the go-ahead goal during a Rangers comeback like none other this season. The Rangers were 0-30-1 in games where they trailed by two or more goals, the NHL’s only winless team this season in such a scenario.

But they got goals from Juuso Parssinen and J.T. Miller 1:38 apart late in the second to tie the game, erasing a 3-1 deficit. Matt Rempe and Jonny Brodzinski also scored for the Rangers.

Sam Reinhart scored twice and Carter Verhaeghe also had a goal for Florida, which got two assists from Aleksander Barkov.

The loss means Florida is locked into third place in the Atlantic Division and will open the Stanley Cup playoffs on the road.

Takeaways

Rangers: Florida fans gave retiring Rangers broadcaster Sam Rosen a warm ovation during a first-period stoppage in play when he was shown on the video screens. Panthers coach Paul Maurice and general manager/hockey operations president Bill Zito also paid tribute to Rosen before his final road game.

Panthers: Florida needs a win at Tampa Bay on Tuesday to reach 100 points for the third time in the last four seasons. The Panthers got to the 100-point mark once in the franchise’s first 27 seasons.

Key moment

Trocheck’s blast from the left circle came in a stretch where Florida kept losing the puck with the man advantage, and the Rangers made them pay.

Key stat

For the second consecutive year, the Panthers have five 20-goal scorers. Verhaeghe got there Monday, joining Reinhart, Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Bennett — the same fivesome as last year.

Up next

Rangers end the season at home Thursday against Tampa Bay. Florida visits the Lightning on Tuesday to end its regular season.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL

Tim Reynolds

NBA writer