Game 3 takeaways: Artemi Panarin, Alexis Lafrenière fuel another Rangers' comeback

RALEIGH, N.C. - There’s something special happening with these Rangers.

You could make a case that they’ve been outplayed in back-to-back games by the Carolina Hurricanes, who have consistently applied pressure and won the shots-on-goal battles by wide margins. But the Blueshirts are winning where it counts – on the scoreboard – with Thursday’s 3-2 overtime victory in Game 3 at PNC Arena giving them a 3-0 stranglehold in this second-round series.

It marked New York's second consecutive comeback victory, with Alexis Lafrenière scoring the go-ahead goal with 13:35 left in the third period and Artemi Panarin finishing it off in OT. Canes forward Andrei Svechnikov sandwiched an equalizer in between those two tallies, threatening to deflate the Rangers with 1:36 remaining in regulation, but they responded with the resolve that's become an undeniable trait of this year's team.

"This is a resilient group, and they've been in these situations before," head coach Peter Laviolette said. "The messaging (before overtime) was that we were doing the right things. 'We're going to finish this because of what we've been through and the way we're playing the game right now.'"

The decisive goal was scored 1:43 into the extra period, with Panarin redirecting a pass from Vincent Trocheck for his fourth goal of the playoffs, each of which has registered as a game-winner.

Suddenly, any talk of last season's postseason disappointment and not being able to come through at this time of year has been silenced.

"I’m just so happy," said a smiling but still stunned Panarin. "It was a lot of emotion. I can’t really explain it to you. I don’t really understand what happened. I need 10 more minutes."

Clutch efforts and a memorable return

Those clutch efforts helped the Rangers tie a franchise record with seven straight playoff wins, matching the high mark from their last championship run 30 years ago. It also handed the Canes just their fifth loss in their last 20 postseason games on home ice.

New York accomplished that feat behind outstanding special teams, stellar goaltending from Igor Shesterkin and timely scoring from their stars − the same recipe that propelled them to the Presidents' Trophy during the regular season.

"I think it’s just process for us," said Chris Kreider, who scored his fourth postseason goal in the second period. "It's something that our coaching staff preached from day one of camp. The mentality, the way we approach the game, the competitive nature of our practices. You guys (the media) are there every day. You see our little mini games we play. I think that’s something that's kind of allowed us to continue to build over the course of the year."

Adding to the occasion was the long-awaited return of Filip Chytil.

The 24-year-old forward’s comeback following an absence of more than six months due to complications from a Nov. 2 concussion stands on its own as a feel-good story, but it’s the Rangers' collective determination that has them on the precipice of their second Eastern Conference Finals appearance in the last three years.

They’ll have a chance to close out the series right back here on Saturday, with Game 4 puck drop set for 7 p.m.

"This team is amazing, and you can see right now in playoffs how we play," said Chytil, who finished with five shot attempts, two hits and one takeaway in 12:02 time on ice. "Everybody's together. Everybody's blocking shots, hitting people, going into the dirty areas, and that's what we need to win the games. I just need to need to work hard every day now to be even better and help even more."

Filip Chytil: Forward returns for Game 3, more than six months after initial injury

Weathering the storm

It was no surprise to see the desperate Hurricanes come out with a strong push and dominate possession in the opening period.

They outshot the Rangers, 47-25, including a 17-7 advantage in the first 20 minutes while taking a 1-0 lead on Jake Guentzel's third goal in the last two games. This one came in similar fashion to his first tally in Game 2, with Carolina's prized trade-deadline addition lurking around the net and tipping a pass by Shesterkin.

"We knew that we were going to have to handle their heat in the first period," Laviolette said. "We took some penalties that are on us – a couple that we just shouldn't take. And, so, that kind of fuels them, as well. But from the first period on, I thought we get better every minute of the game."

The Canes continued to pepper Shesterkin, living up to their reputation as one of the NHL's biggest shot volume teams, but the quantity often lacked quality. They were only credited with four high-danger scoring chances at five-on-five through two periods, according to Natural Stat Trick, with the Blueshirts' netminder swallowing up all of their long-range attempts while limiting the rebound opportunities.

He finished with 45 saves, two days after posting 54 in Game 2's double-OT win.

"You gotta remove some of the shots from the outside, then you have to look at the shots that are actually quality scoring chances," Laviolette said. "And our guys, after the first period, I thought we did a really good job of playing better defense. A little better through the neutral zone, better in defensive zone coverage, and I thought we actually started to generate offensively."

More PK brilliance

More time at 5v5 likely would have benefited Carolina, but a chippy Game 3 devolved into another penalty fest, with a total of 15 called Thursday. That benefited the Rangers, as it has throughout the first few weeks of these playoffs.

New York's streak of scoring at least one power-play goal in five straight games came to end, but the penalty kill made up for it. Mika Zibanejad sparked the tying goal on a second-period PK with a takeaway and a quick move to start a two-on-one rush, ending the impressive sequence by feeding Kreider for the finish to make it 1-1 at the 8:30 mark.

"A big part of it a lot of times is a good stick from (K'Andre Miller) or Mika," Kreider said. "They both have incredible hockey instincts, incredible reach, and I just try to skate fast."

The assist tied Zibanejad for most points (12) in franchise history through seven playoff games while giving the Rangers their third shorthanded goal of the postseason.

They went 5-for-5 on the PK for third consecutive game and have killed 23 straight overall. Their overall success rate in these playoffs is 93.8% (30-for-32), as they continue to dominate the ever-important special teams' battle.

But they've been able to come through when they need to at even strength, as well. Lafrenière scored off the rush to temporarily put them ahead in the third period, his third goal in the last two games.

The 22-year-old forward added an assist on Panarin's winner, giving him nine points (three goals and six assists) through seven playoff games.

"(Former Ranger) Ulf Samuelson told our team a while ago that you don't raise your game in the playoffs; you lean on your habits – and he's got unbelievable habits for a young guy," Kreider said of Lafrenière. "The way he shows up the rink. The way he works at his craft. He just wants to get better. He wants to have an impact. He wants to win. He’s an unbelievable player, and we’re lucky to have him."

Vincent Z. Mercogliano is the New York Rangers beat reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Read more of his work at lohud.com/sports/rangers/ and follow him on Twitter @vzmercogliano.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Game 3 takeaways: Panarin, Lafrenière fuel another Rangers' comeback