Fueling the Panthers’ victory was a fast, physical forecheck. Armed with to the teeth with kamikaze-style forwards such as Sam Bennett, Ryan Lomberg and Matthew Tkachuk, the visitors softened up the Blueshirts’ defense to the tune of 14 hits, including three each on prime puck-movers Adam Fox and Erik Gustafsson and four on heavy-footed underling Braden Schneider.
At the other end of the ice, the Rangers put just eight hits on the Panthers’ d and only one each on offensive types Gustav Forsling and Brandon Montour.