In a closely contested battle, the New York Rangers suffered a 3-2 defeat against the Florida Panthers in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final on Thursday night at Madison Square Garden. Despite a strong effort from goaltender Igor Shesterkin, who made 34 saves, and a goal from Chris Kreider, the Rangers found themselves trailing in the series.

The game started positively for the Rangers as Kreider scored a shorthanded goal early in the second period, giving the team a 1-0 lead. However, the Panthers quickly responded with Gustav Forsling's backhand goal, assisted by Sam Bennett. With just under 10 minutes left in the game, Anton Lundell scored the go-ahead goal for the Panthers, securing the victory.

This loss marks the seventh straight Game 5 defeat in the Eastern Conference Final for the Rangers, with five of those losses occurring at home. The Rangers have faced disappointment in similar series since their victorious 1994 run, which included Mark Messier's Game 6 guarantee and Stephane Matteau's Game 7 heroics.

The teams will now prepare for Game 6, which is scheduled to take place on Saturday night in Florida. The Rangers and Panthers had split their overtime wins earlier in the week, setting the stage for a crucial matchup.

While disappointment looms for the Rangers, they can take solace in their strong postseason performance, including a remarkable 55-win regular season, the best in the NHL. Additionally, Kreider's shorthanded goal in Game 5 marked the team's sixth of the postseason, a feat that hasn't been accomplished by any team in 16 years since the Red Wings.

As the Rangers face the challenge of overcoming their series deficit, parallels to their 1994 Cup-winning run become evident once again. Like that historic season, they must leave their home arena as the Presidents' Trophy winners to fight for their playoff lives.

The Rangers will need to regroup and find a way to overcome their Game 5 loss to keep their championship hopes alive. The Panthers, on the other hand, will aim to use their momentum and secure a victory on their home ice to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals.

The stakes are high for both teams as they prepare for Game 6, and fans can expect an intense and closely contested matchup. The Rangers will look to reverse their misfortune in Game 5 and keep their championship aspirations alive, while the Panthers will aim to capitalize on their momentum and secure their spot in the Stanley Cup Finals.