Knock Out: Florida Panthers 4, New York Rangers 2

The Florida Panthers and New York Rangers met in a heavyweight tilt at Madison Square Garden on Monday night.

The Panthers got out of there without a scratch.

Thanks in great part to a pair of Sasha Barkov-assisted goals from Sam Reinhart and another phenomenal performance from Sergei Bobrovsky, the Panthers walked out into the New York night with yet another signature win, this one 4-2 over the Rangers.

And, who says you can’t drive fast up 8th Avenue in New York?

Florida got the game-winner from the Lomberghini.

Ryan Lomberg’s goal at 6:11 of the third ended up being the difference-maker for the Panthers as Bobrovsky ended up with 26 saves.

By virtue of getting its first win at MSG since 2019, the Panthers won their fifth straight game and remain atop the NHL standings.

Florida has won 11 of its past 12 — and 15 of 17.

The Panthers will bus to Newark for a game with the Devils on Tuesday night.

Down 1-0 going into the second, Florida tied it on an unbelievable play by Barkov as he juggled the puck on his stick blade and fed Reinhart for his 43rd goal of the season at 10:11.

Not long later, Barkov and Reinhart gave-and-went — with Reinhart making it 2-1 with his 44th.

New York tied it on the power play, but Lomberg’s shot from 45 feet out clipped the skate of Jacob Trouba and went past Igor Shesterkin.

— With 44 goals, Reinhart now has the most goals in franchise history in a single season — for a guy not named Pavel Bure.

Bure, of course, scored 58 and 59 goals in back-to-back seasons with the Panthers from 1999-2001.

— Brandon Montour, named the NHL’s Second Star of the Week on Monday, played in his 500th game.

GOALS OF THE GAME

• Rangers 1, Panthers 0 (16:40, 1st PP): Will Cuylle follows up a big bounce off the end boards from a Jacob Trouba shot and gets it past Sergei Bobrovsky.
• Panthers 1, Rangers 1 (10:11, 2nd PP): Sasha Barkov makes as terrific a play with the puck one will ever see, juggling it on his stick blade as he charges the net before feeding Sam Reinhart for his 43rd of the season.
• Panthers 2, Rangers 1 (12:57, 2nd): Barkov and Reinhart play a little give-and-go, with Reinhart slamming one past Igor Shesterkin from the slot.
• Rangers 2, Panthers 2 (15:26, 2nd PP): Chris Krieder pulls in a rebound, gets Bobrovsky out of the net and scores on the first of two minors served by Anton Lundell for a high stick. Florida kills off the second one.
• Panthers 3, Rangers 2 (6:11, 3rd): Ryan Lomberg got his fifth goal of the season as he came into the zone and fired off a shot from the top of the left circle. It hit Trouba’s skate and in.
• Panthers 4, Rangers 2 (19:01, 3rd EN): Lundell ices this one with Shesterkin sitting on the bench.

GR’S 3 STARS OF THE GAME

1. Sasha Barkov, Florida

2. Sam Reinhart, Florida

3. Sergei Bobrovsky, Florida

ON DECK

FLORIDA PANTHERS @ NEW JERSEY DEVILS

• When: Tuesday, 7 p.m.
• Where: Prudential Center, Newark
• TV/Streaming: Bally Sports Florida; ESPN+
• Radio: WQAM 560-AM; WPOW 96.5-FM 2;WBZT 1230-AM (West Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); WCZR 101.7-FM (Treasure Coast); SiriusXM
• Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL app
• Local Odds — Panthers Favored: Money Line (-190); Puck line (-1.5, +120); Over/Under 6.5 (+100/-125)
• Season Series (Tied 1-1) — At New Jersey: Panthers 4, Devils 3 (October 16); Tuesday. At Florida: Devils 4, Panthers 1 (Jan. 13).
• Last Season: Florida won 2-1
• All-time Regular Season Series: Devils lead 58-36-7, 7 ties
• Up Next for the Panthers: Thursday vs. Philadelphia, 7 p.m.