“Panthers” defeated New York “Rangers” 5:3 (2:0, 1:2, 2:1).
Balinskis made an effective pass in the sixth minute, when Matthew Samoskevics scored a goal, making it 2:0, as well as in the 37th minute, when Jespers Boqvist made it 3:2. Balinskis on the left side of the field prevented the puck from leaving the opponent’s zone, sending it behind the goal, but Boqvist scored from in front of the goal after a pass from Anton Lundell.
The Latvian defenseman played 15 minutes and 25 seconds, scoring once, blocking one shot, using one power play, making one error and accumulating a +1 +/- indicator.
Bokvist scored two goals for the winners, who also scored the winning goal in the 52nd minute, while Etu Luostarinen, who scored the first goal of the match, and Aleksander Barkov, who scored the last goal of the game 37 seconds before the end of the match, scored the puck into an empty net.
Phillip Hitill, Ryan Lindgren and Chris Krieder scored the majority of goals for the opponents.
Sergej Bobrovskis saved 33 shots in the winner’s goal, while Igor Shestjorkin managed 21 of 25 shots for the visitors.
The “Panthers” are in third place in the Eastern Conference with 48 points in 38 games, while the “Rangers”, who had their seventh loss in the last eight games, are in 14th place with 33 points in 36 games.
“Panthers” will play their next match on Thursday, meeting Carolina “Hurricanes” at home.