Miami, FL – In a balmy twist on hockey’s cherished outdoor tradition, the New York Rangers turned the 2026 NHL Winter Classic into a showcase of their unbeaten prowess under the open skies, dismantling the Florida Panthers 5-1 at LoanDepot Park on January 2, 2026. With a sellout crowd of 36,153 braving the 63-degree “winter” evening – the second-warmest start in NHL outdoor game history – the Rangers improved to a perfect 6-0 in such contests, while the Panthers struggled to find their footing on home turf.
The game, set against the stunning backdrop of Miami’s retractable roof peeling back to reveal a clear night sky, featured artificial snow swirling like foam from a Vermont blizzard – a nod to the event’s northern roots in decidedly un-wintry South Florida. Former Panthers goaltender Roberto Luongo dropped the ceremonial first puck, flanked by Aaron Ekblad and Vincent Trocheck, adding a touch of nostalgia before the action heated up.
From the opening faceoff, the Rangers asserted dominance despite being outshot 37-20 overall. Mika Zibanejad, the night’s undisputed star, opened the scoring at 15:09 of the first period on a power-play wrist shot, assisted by Alexis Lafreniere and Artemi Panarin. Just 1:04 later, Panarin doubled the lead with his own wrist shot from the high slot, beating Sergei Bobrovsky glove side off passes from Zibanejad and Lafreniere. The quick strikes set the tone, as New York capitalized on Florida’s defensive lapses while Igor Shesterkin stood tall in net.
The second period saw Zibanejad strike again just 58 seconds in, converting a 2-on-1 rush assisted by Lafreniere and Trocheck to make it 3-0. The Panthers, who held possession for much of the game, couldn’t solve Shesterkin, who made key saves to preserve the shutout bid through two periods.
Florida finally broke through in the third, with Sam Reinhart notching his 23rd goal of the season on a power play at 2:20, assisted by Sam Bennett and Ekblad after the latter kept a clearing attempt in at the blue line But the Rangers responded decisively: Panarin whipped in his second of the night on another power play at 12:25, assisted by Trocheck and Zibanejad, effectively sealing the win and sending many fans toward the exits. Zibanejad completed his hat trick with an unassisted short-handed empty-netter at 18:32, capping a five-point night (3 goals, 2 assists) that earned him first-star honors.
Panarin (2 goals, 1 assist) was named the third star, while Shesterkin took second for his stellar performance, stopping 36 of 37 shots. The Rangers excelled on special teams, going 2-for-3 on the power play and killing off 5-of-6 Panther advantages. Faceoffs favored New York at 57.4%, and they blocked 28 shots compared to Florida’s 11.
The Panthers’ night was marred by an early injury to Seth Jones, who left in the first period with an upper-body issue after taking a deflected shot to the face. Despite outhitting the Rangers 38-20, Florida dropped their second straight and fourth in six games, highlighting ongoing struggles since their recent winning streak.
Off the ice, the event was a spectacle, with players arriving in style – Panthers in sports cars, Rangers in all-white suits – and the fan fest buzzing ahead of the matchup. Social media lit up with excitement, from fans sharing jersey reveals to calls for a “Tropical Hockey League” nod. One enthusiast proclaimed, “HERE WE FUCKIN GO!” as the puck dropped, capturing the hype around this historic southern showdown.
For the Rangers (now 20-18-5), the victory provides momentum on the road, where they’ve gone 14-8-2 this season. The Panthers (21-16-3) will look to rebound as they return to indoor arenas. This Winter Classic may not have delivered a thriller on the scoresheet, but it etched Miami into NHL lore as the league’s southernmost outdoor venue.
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