Anton Lundell scored the go-ahead goal in the third period as the Florida Panthers edged the New York Rangers 3-2 in a pivotal game five of the NHL Eastern Conference final Thursday.
Sam Bennett had a goal and an assist for Florida, who took a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series and moved within one win of a second straight trip to the Stanley Cup Final.
The Panthers, who fell to the Vegas Golden Knights in last year’s championship series, will try to close out the Rangers when they host game six on Saturday.
Gustav Forsling also scored for Florida, who had 25 saves from goalie Sergei Bobrovsky.
Chris Kreider and Alexis Lafreniere scored for the Rangers and Igor Shesterkin made 34 saves.
Lundell beat Shesterkin with a wrist shot at 10:22 of the third to put the Panthers up 2-1, taking advantage when the defenders were drawn by Vladimir Tarasenko’s move toward the net.
Bennett scored an empty-net goal to make it 3-1 with 1:52 to play, Lafreniere clawing one back in the final minute.
Kreider’s short-handed goal at 2:04 of the second period had given the Rangers a 1-0 lead.
Forsling tied it 1-1 at 8:21 of the second with a backhanded goal off a pass from Bennett.
