New York Rangers’ Mika Zibanejad takes responsibility for overtime error in Game 4

The New York Rangers had a chance to take a 3-1 series lead in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Florida Panthers, but after some penalty trouble in overtime, they return to Madison Square Garden for Game 5 tied 2-2. .

Early in the first overtime period of Game 4, Rangers forward Blake Wheeler attempted to recover a pass from teammate Mika Zibanejad, but was knocked away by Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola, who returned the puck to Aleksander Barkov. Wheeler then assessed a collision penalty on Barkov to prevent him from making a clean breakaway on Igor Shesterkin.

Wheeler drove to the box and seconds later, on the power play, Panthers forward Sam Reinhart scored the overtime winner from the slot to tie the series.

Zibanejad took responsibility after the game for his bad pass to Wheeler.

“It’s about making decisions,” Zibanejad said. “I (saw Wheeler) coming towards me. I think he’s open because (forward Will Cuylle) is going to the net, trying to make the play and they’re pushing him and going the other way. J I probably should have just made a different play or decision, but I made the decision then and I can’t change it now.

“Yeah, I mean, he’s stuck up there on that call and he just worked backwards,” Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette said of Wheeler’s penalty. “But he came out and I thought he gave us good minutes. It was a long way back and I thought he came in – there were times where (Barclay) Goodrow, (Matt) Rempe and Wheeler said so.

Game 4 was Wheeler’s first game back in the lineup since February 15, where he was recovering from a lower body injury. He began skating on his own on April 19, then participated in full practices in a non-contact red jersey. Wheeler was cleared for contact on May 13.

He had 9:18 of ice time on the fourth line with Goodrow and Rempe. In the regular season, he recorded nine goals and 21 points in 54 games in his first campaign as a Ranger.