Florida 2, NY Rangers 1

Kris Versteeg scored the game-winner early in the second period as the Florida Panthers won their third in a row with a 2-1 triumph over the New York Rangers on Wednesday night.
 
Defenseman Jason Garrison tallied and Tomas Fleischmann added a pair of assists to help Florida improve to 3-0-0 on its current four-game homestand. With the victory, the Panthers collected their first three-game winning streak at BankAtlantic Center since January.
 
Versteeg unleashed a wrist shot just 1:09 into the second period that beat Henrik Lundqvist for the 2-0 edge. It was Versteeg's team-best 12th goal of the season.
 
Versteeg has 13 points in as many outings, and is already more than halfway to his career high of 22 goals.
 
Derek Stepan cut the deficit in half a little over three minutes later, taking a feed from Marian Gaborik and finishing with a snap shot for his fourth of the campaign.
 
Panthers goaltender Jose Theodore made 19 saves to defeat the Rangers for a third time in a row. He has stopped 89 of the previous 91 shots against New York.
 
Garrison opened the scoring at 10:06 of the first as the Panthers enjoyed the man advantage. With captain Ryan Callahan in the penalty box for roughing, Fleischmann fired shot from outside the faceoff circle that Garrison cleaned up near the back post.
 
The Rangers have dropped two straight after opening November with seven consecutive victories.

• Florida will play their next game at home against Tampa Bay . The Panthers have a W/L % of .455 after a win and .700 after a loss.
• NY Rangers will play their next game on the road against Washington . The Rangers have a W/L % of .700 after a win and .375 after a loss.