Steve Mason picked up win over Rangers – file photo by Lewis Bleiman
NEW YORK (NY) – Steve Mason was remarkable Wednesday night, stopping 16 shots in the first and 34 total to shut out the Rangers in the last game before the all-star break. Henrik Lundqvist made 24 saves on 26 shots for his first loss in four games.
“It’s been a tough stretch the last month or so mentally I think for everybody,” Mason said. “We’ve had two games here the last couple days, on the road against two quality hockey clubs, and to be able to come away with four points is definitely something to build off.”
Special teams would end up being the deciding factor, as the Flyers finally opened up the scoring 6:09 in the third period on the power-play off the grinding persistence of Wayne Simmonds. The Rangers went 0-3, including an opportunity in the third. They are now 0-14 on the power-play in their last four games. What once was their strongest attribute at the beginning of the year is now their crippling weakness.
“There’s no doubt that our power play struggled a little bit,” Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said. “We had a lot of opportunities.”
Jakub Voracek would get a fortunate bounce off the shin pad of Rangers defenseman Kevin Klein, who had a game changing back check earlier on a Flyers 2-on-1, that would give Philadelphia a 2-0 lead late in the third.
The Rangers had plenty of chances and came inches from scoring throughout the game, but nothing was able to find it’s way past Mason who played lights out. In the first period alone Mason made a sensational stretch from his right to left, stopping a one-timer from Rick Nash off a 2-on-1. Moments later he stopped Rangers leading scorer Michael Grabner alone in front, twice.
“I was feeling good from the opening puck drop,” Mason said. “Over the course of 60 minutes there are moments that can alter the outcome of games. It’s a goaltender’s job to come up with big saves.”
The Rangers enter the all-star break going 3-1 in their past four and having their rock, Henrik Lundqvist, find his game again after a four game scare.
The Rangers resume play on Monday, January 31st at home against the Columbus Blue Jackets at 7pm.
The Flyers play their last game before break on Thursday night against Auston Matthews and the Toronto Maple Leafs at 7pm.
Follow Danny Jones on Twitter: @Danny_PJones
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