A Winter Classic rival goes down and it's not pretty, here's how the Florida Panthers can relate

Monday night brought a scary crease crash when J.J. Peterka collided with Shesterkin at the net front. He was helped off and ruled out with a lower-body injury, leaving New York holding its breath.

That's brutal timing because Shesterkin has been the Rangers' backbone through a messy first half. Even when their details slip, he keeps games close and buys the skaters a chance to recover.

Friday in Miami, he showed exactly why, turning the 2026 Winter Classic into a one-goal night for Florida. The Rangers won 5-1, and Shesterkin stopped 36 of 37 while New York stayed perfect outdoors at 6-0-0.

The Panthers threw 37 shots, but most were from the outside, and the crease felt locked. When Florida did break through, it took a power-play scramble that ended with Sam Reinhart finishing a clean look.

That clip is a reminder that net-front chaos cuts both ways, one bounce can change a season. Shesterkin plays aggressively at the top of his crease, and that style invites contact when bodies arrive late.

Florida knows this feeling, because the last month has been a rotating cast of scratches and rehab schedules. They've stayed afloat by shortening shifts, leaning on structure, and trusting depth to survive ugly nights.

It's tough, but not impossible, if the room stays tight and the next man treats his minutes like a contract. That's the same mentality Paul Maurice has been preaching, handle your day and keep stacking recoveries.

The Panthers are finally starting to get bodies back, and it's happening at the perfect time. With guys like Matthew Tkachuk and Cole Schwindt trending toward returns, Paul Maurice can stop overworking the same handful of forwards every night. That extra depth should help Florida manage shifts, win more board battles, and stay fresher through the upcoming road trip grind.

If Shesterkin misses time, New York will need the exact kind of gritty point-grabbing Florida has been chasing all month. Either way, the next milestone is simple, get healthy bodies back before the grind swallows you.