The New York Rangers took on the Florida Panthers in the 2026 Winter Classic at LoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida. And unfortunately for the hosting Panthers, it was not a close contest. Mika Zibanejad scored a hat trick in the midst of a five-point night. His effort helped New York claim a decisive 5-1 win on the road in Florida.
The Rangers certainly needed a result in this game. New York had lost four of its last five games entering the Winter Classic. Moreover, they are battling the Panthers for positioning in the Eastern Conference Wild Card race. Getting two points here was huge for the Blueshirts, as Zibanejad explained following the game.
“We talked about it, about a fresh start here. Got a couple days as a team, with families and friends and just enjoy this moment. I thought we did a good job with that and really focused when it came to gametime. We’re hoping this can be a start to something good for us,” the Rangers forward said, via New York Post reporter Mollie Walker.
Zibanejad is certainly off to a fast start in the 2026 calendar year. His three goals on Friday night matched his entire goal total from the month of December. Last month, the veteran forward had three goals and 11 points for New York.
It was also a record-breaking night for Zibanejad. He tied a Rangers franchise record with his 116th power play goal as a member of the Blueshirts. Moreover, he is the only player in NHL history to score five points in an outdoor game. He broke Jordan Kyrou's record of four points from the 2022 Winter Classic.
The Rangers certainly needed this win. To do so in the manner they did could very well give them a measure of needed confidence. New York returns to indoor play when they take the ice on January 5th against the Utah Mammoth.
