Panthers 2 - 3 Rangers
Final - OT
  for this game

Rangers return indoors to battle Panthers

Jan 5, 2012 - 3:50 PM (Sports Network) - After a thrilling victory in the Winter Classic, the Eastern Conference-leading New York Rangers will shoot for an eighth victory in nine games when they host the first-place Florida Panthers tonight at Madison Square Garden.

The Rangers notched a 3-2 win over the Flyers at Philadelphia's Citizens Bank on Monday. Mike Rupp scored two goals in the outdoor setting and Blueshirts goaltender Henrik Lundqvist stoned Danny Briere on a penalty shot with 19.6 seconds remaining to all but seal the victory.

New York fell behind 2-0 at the home of Major League Baseball's Phillies, but then scored three unanswered goals against Flyers backup goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky.

Rupp pulled the Rangers out of the early hole, scoring goals late in the second period and early in the third, and Brad Richards netted the eventual game-winner less than three minutes later.

"It's such a crazy atmosphere," said Rangers captain Ryan Callahan. "You're dealing with the elements, the wind and everything. We got the lead and we just wanted to get pucks out and keep it in their end. I think we did a good job of that."

Lundqvist made 34 saves and he closed his pads in time to stop Briere from going five-hole on the penalty shot.

"I was just trying to be patient and do my thing," Lundqvist said of stopping Briere. "He's a sneaky guy, and there was a lot of pressure on me."

The game also marked the return of Rangers defenseman Marc Staal, who made his season debut after sitting out the first 36 games while recovering from a concussion he suffered in February on a hit by his brother, Carolina forward Eric Staal.

New York enters tonight four points ahead of Philly for first place in the Atlantic Division and the Blueshirts are also one ahead of Boston for the top seed in the East.

The Rangers are 11-3-2 as the host this year and have won their last three tilts at MSG.

Despite going 2-3-1 over its last six games, Florida enters tonight with a three-point lead over Washington for the top spot in the Southeast Division.

The Panthers have won two of their last three tilts and have been off since Saturday's 3-2 regulation win over visiting Montreal. Tomas Fleischmann netted two goals to help the Panthers take the home victory.

Shawn Matthias scored the other goal for the Panthers, who did lose starting goaltender Jose Theodore to injury in the win. Theodore started in net for Florida and stopped 9-of-10 shots, but left the game in the second period with a lower-body injury. Scott Clemmensen entered in relief and allowed one goal on 18 shots.

Theodore is expected to miss tonight's game and Jacob Markstrom was recalled to aid Clemmensen in the goaltending department.

Panthers forward Krys Barch was ejected from Saturday's game after allegations that he directed racial slurs towards Habs defenseman P. K. Subban, who is a Canadian of Jamaican descent. Barch is scheduled to have a hearing with the league prior to tonight's game.

Florida could have Marcel Goc back tonight after he missed the last 22 games due to a concussion. The centerman had two goals in 17 games before suffering the head injury.

In other news, the Panthers signed veteran center and three-time Stanley Cup champion John Madden to a one-year deal on Wednesday. Madden, the 2001 Selke Award winner as the league's top defensive forward, was a free agent after posting 25 points (12 goals, 13 assists) in 76 games with Minnesota last season. It's unclear if Madden will be available for tonight's game.

The Rangers have taken two straight and seven of the last 10 meetings with Florida and New York pounded the Panthers by a 6-1 score when the clubs last met in NYC on Dec. 11. Derek Stepan scored twice in a four-goal second period for the Rangers, who have won two straight and three of the last four encounters in the Big Apple.

Florida is 10-8-2 as the visiting club this season.






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