New York Rangers Rally For Overtime Win In Stadium Series

Get our free mobile app

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- It was a storybook finish for the New York Rangers in their Stadium Series win over the New York Islanders on Sunday. But not necessarily the story they intended to tell.

"It wasn't a script we would have written," Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said after their 6-5 overtime victory in front of 79,690 fans at MetLife Stadium in the highest-scoring outdoor game in NHL history. "It was crazy. It was awesome. So many props to our guys after a first period that didn't go the way we wanted at all."

The Rangers took an early 1-0 lead but then watched the Islanders score three goals in 3 minutes, 14 seconds, including goals by Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal 16 seconds apart. Just 1:03 into the second period, the Rangers were down 4-1. Even when they mounted a rally, the Islanders had an answer, and led 5-3 with five minutes left in regulation.

But at the final horn, the Rangers skated away with an incredible comeback win that was clinched by Artemi Panarin's unassisted goal just 10 seconds into overtime -- scored with the net off its moorings. The goal was confirmed as valid after video review.

"I don't remember that goal because I got flooded with a wave of emotions," Panarin said through a translator. "But I'm 80 percent sure that it was a goal."

According to ESPN rules analyst Dave Jackson, if the goal cage is dislodged by the defensive team, whether intentionally or accidentally, and there is an imminent scoring chance, as long as the puck passes between where the goalposts should be it counts. That was the case for Panarin.

Rangers rookie forward Matt Rempe made history Sunday, becoming the first player to make his NHL debut in a regular-season outdoor game. On his first shift at MetLife Stadium, Rempe tried to make an impression on the New York Islanders, too, with a fight against winger Matt Martin.

The Rangers got the job done despite a deficit, something this group has been known for this season. This was New York's ninth third-period comeback win this season. That's already the second most in franchise history, behind only the 11 comebacks in 2010-11.

The win was the Rangers' seventh in a row, moving them six points ahead of the Carolina Hurricanes for the Metropolitan Division lead.