Quick loses final NHL game, Panthers edge Rangers

SUNRISE, Fla. -- Cole Reinhardt broke a tie late in the third period with his second goal of the game, and the Florida Panthers spoiled Jonathan Quick’s NHL finale with a 3-2 win against the New York Rangers at Amerant Bank Arena on Monday.

Reinhardt scored the go-ahead goal with 1:50 remaining, finishing with a wrist shot in the left face-off circle after Luke Kunin fed him from below the goal line.

Quick, 40, announced earlier Monday that this would be his last game after 19 seasons in the NHL. The three-time Stanley Cup-winner has the most wins (410) and shutouts (65) of any United States-born goalie in NHL history and is 12th overall in victories.

The Panthers lined up to shake hands with Quick when the game was over. The Rangers all wore Quick’s No. 32 during warmups. 

“That was special from those guys,” Quick said. “It is in the back of your head throughout it, but you’re trying to enjoy it. The team played great. I wish I had a couple more saves for them to finish it up. But, they deserved to win. I should have had a few more, but it was still special to see the way these guys played. It’s an honor to play my last game with this group here.”

Florida coach Paul Maurice said the Panthers had considered honoring Quick during the game but decided against it. But Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, who backed up Daniil Tarasov on Monday, led the charge for the handshake, asking the Rangers to come back onto the ice after the game was complete. 

“What a brilliant career, such a competitive athlete to be as good as he was for as long as he was,” Maurice said of Quick. “It was an honor to be on the ice against him tonight.”

Quick made 14 saves. Florida had only three shots on goal in the third before Reinhardt’s game-winner.

Mackie Samoskevich also scored for the Panthers (39-38-4), who have won their past two. Tarasov made 24 saves, stopping all 13 shots he faced in the third.

“I was just trying to make saves. That was a bit more action than there was in the first two periods,” Tarasov said. “I’m just happy. We’re finishing strong, scored a big goal at the end. The last few games we have played at home, we cannot give up. We cannot be soft in our building.”

Matthew Robertson and Gabe Perreault scored for the Rangers (33-39-9), who have lost three straight.

Both teams have been eliminated from Stanley Cup Playoff contention.

“I thought we had our moments,” New York coach Mike Sullivan said. “The third period, the second half of the game, I thought we carried the play. It was a struggle to find the back of the net. We had some really good looks in the third period. Give Florida credit, they were opportunistic. The chances they had, they buried. 

“(Quick) played well for us. This was a celebration for him. As we talked about after the game, he is an inspiration to all of us.”

Reinhardt gave Florida a 1-0 lead at 9:35 of the first period. He charged the net and knocked in a rebound after Quick stopped Tobias Bjornfot on the rush.

Reinhardt, who was claimed off waivers from the Vegas Golden Knights on March 6, has four goals in a three-game goal streak.

“This is a new chapter in my career and there is a little success happening right now, so I’m just trying to run with it,” the forward said. “You want to make a good impression when you come in, play the right way and be in the lineup next year.”

Samoskevich made it 2-0 at 11:31, skating in on Quick following a turnover and putting a wrist shot off the crossbar and in.

“They are a good team despite the standings, so I am proud of the guys who have come in and are playing the same way,” said Samoskevich, who has six goals in his past nine games. “It was nice to get one early, and nice to get the win, too.”

The Rangers cut it to 2-1 at 15:19 when Robertson scored on a point shot through traffic.

Perreault then tied it 2-2 at 17:20 of the second period. Adam Fox’s shot from the top of the slot went off of Tarasov’s pad and bounced in off the skate of Perreault at the side of the net.

Each team concludes its season on Wednesday; the Rangers will visit the Tampa Bay Lightning, and the Panthers will host the Detroit Red Wings.

The Panthers were missing 14 regulars due to injury or, in forward Matthew Tkachuk’s case, for paternity leave. Maurice said Tkachuk and his wife, Ellie, had a baby girl and that the forward could play Wednesday. He missed his fourth straight game Monday.

“They’re playing hard,” Maurice said. “What I appreciate about these guys is that they practice hard, they are wired in the meetings, and wired in the games. It is fun to be around.”

NOTES: Reinhardt’s goal streak is the longest for a player in his first season with the Panthers since Tkachuk had streaks of six and four games in 2022-23. … Fox (assist) has had at least one point in nine of his past 10 games (four goals, 12 assists).