The New York Rangers will get one more test of how far their late surge has carried them when they face the Florida Panthers in their penultimate game of the season. Both teams have already been eliminated, turning a rangers vs panthers matchup that once carried playoff stakes into a final evaluation of where New York stands heading into the summer.
The Rangers enter with some momentum despite a two-game losing streak. They have won five of their last eight games, and since March 2 their offense has been among the league's best, scoring at least three goals 16 times and totaling 76 goals overall. Those 16 three-goal games are tied for the most in the league over that span, and the 76 goals rank in the Top 5.
That run matters because it came after earlier struggles to score, and it gives New York a stronger read on what worked before the season ran out. The Panthers, meanwhile, are trying to close a year that went from champion to disappointment after missing the playoffs a year after winning it all. Florida won the Stanley Cup only last season, a reminder of how quickly the margin can disappear in the league.
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The game also arrives with New York carrying a lot of cap space into the summer, which should make the Rangers one of the more active teams when the roster-building starts again. For now, though, this is about one last chance to see whether the offense that showed up after March 2 can carry over when the standings no longer matter.
