Barkov Ties Franchise Assists Record, Panthers Defeat Rangers 4-3

SUNRISE — The Florida Panthers continued their winning ways against one of the league’s bests, defeating the New York Rangers 4-3 off of Carter Verhaeghe’s game winner.

Florida has won their last three games, improving their record to 21-12-2.

Sergei Bobrovsky had 31 saves  in his 17th win of the season. 

Here’s three takeaways from the game.

Barkov ties another franchise record

Aleksander Barkov entered Friday’s contest with 412 career assists — second most in  Panthers’ franchise history.

Only Jonathan Huberdeau had more with 415.

Barkov, 28, got three primary assists in the first two periods on Friday night — equaling Huberdeau’s 415 Panthers’ assists. 

“I’m sure that’s going to be another record broken very soon,” Matthew Tkachuk said of Barkov. “He’s just been incredible all year… From the start of camp, he just drives everything for us.”

Barkov will take sole possession of the record with his next assist — adding his name to yet another milestone in Panthers’ history. 

Florida’s captain is second on the team in scoring with 38 points in 32 games.

Rodrigues, Reinhart, Barkov… again

When Florida needs offense, it’s probably going to come from the first line of Barkov, Reinhart and Rodrigues. 

That would be the case again with the Rangers in town. 

Rodrigues would get his seventh goal of the season with 1:15 remaining in the first to open the scoring. 

In the second, Reinhart would double the Panthers lead with his team-high 22nd goal of the  year.

After trailing 2-0 in the second, the Rangers would claw back to tie the game, with goals from Artemi Panarin and Will Cuylle.  

Florida didn’t let their blown two-goal lead deter them. In need of a goal, Reinhart and Barkov would connect again to put the Panthers up 3-2. 

Reinhart scored his second of the game and 23rd goal of the season less than three minutes after the Rangers tied it to retake the lead for Florida.

The trio combined for six points in the game. They linked up for six points just two nights before in Tampa. 

Another great night on the penalty kill

Even when the goals weren’t coming, or as the power play struggled, Florida’s penalty kill was their strong point.

The Panthers were 100 percent on the kill again on Friday, going 2/2 against the league’s best power play team (Rangers 31.1 percent).

“Our penalty kill has been pretty darn solid now for about a month and a half,” head coach  Paul Maurice said. “I think we feel confident in it.”

Since Nov. 20, the Panthers have had the best penalty kill in the league — conceding just  four times on 56 chances over that stretch (92.9 percent). 

Panthers Notes

Florida plays the second half of their home back-to-back on Dec. 30 against the Montreal Canadiens.

The Panthers are currently second in the Atlantic, third in the East with 44 points.