Bold statement: A dramatic overtime goal stunned the home crowd as the Rangers grabbed a hard-fought 3-2 victory over the Stars, thanks to Vladislav Gavrikov’s early OT marker.
The win came after a tense, evenly matched affair that extended beyond regulation, with Gavrikov scoring just 1:09 into the extra period to deliver two points for New York. The Stars had snapped the 1-1 deadlock late in the third when captain J.T. Miller mishandled the puck at the Rangers’ end, triggering a fast 2-on-1 rush. Wyatt Johnson then delivered a backhand feed around a sliding Gavrikov to Miko Rantanen, who tucked his 11th of the season past Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin for the 2-1 lead.
New York managed to force overtime by generating pressure and converting on a late opportunity. Will Cuylle grabbed a rebound, spun, and banked it in off Dallas goalie Casey DeSmith to level the score and send the game to extra time.
Both teams contributed to a tightly contested first two periods, each scoring once on 10 shots in the opening frame and then trading an additional 11 shots apiece in the second. Penalty fortune also swung between them, with the Rangers earning five power plays overall and the Stars generating three additional man-advantage sequences.
The Rangers’ power play has operated with five forwards on the top unit in Adam Fox’s absence, managing just four shots across their first three chances. Even with a four-minute power play that yielded seven shots, the Rangers failed to convert when Sam Steel drew a high-sticking penalty on Alexis Lafrenière, resulting in a blood-draw penalty and a prolonged 5-on-4 opportunity that went uncapitalized.
Defensively, the penalty kill remained stout and assertive, successfully fending off both of Dallas’ power-play chances. Dallas, already depleted, faced additional attrition early as Tyler Seguin left the game after colliding with Gavrikov in the first period, compounding an injury-riddled lineup that was already missing defenseman Thomas Harley.
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Would you agree that Gavrikov’s OT strike changed the momentum for the Rangers, or do you think Dallas still had the edge despite the late comeback? Share your thoughts in the comments.
