PHILADELPHIA — In the last two between the Flyers and the New York Rangers, Mika Zibanejad has picked up six points.
Oskar Lindblom #23 and Jakub Voracek #93 of the Philadelphia Flyers set the screen in front of Goalie Igor Shesterkin #31 of the New York Rangers along with Ryan Lindgren #55 and Adam Fox #23
“The puck seems to go in right now, obviously,” Zibanejad said. “It’s nice to be able to contribute offensively for the team, especially since (struggling) the start and the first part of the season. It’s obviously a great feeling when you win and you can contribute.”
The second feat was accomplished Thursday night when Zibanejad scored a natural hat trick and added three assists in an 8-3 win for the Rangers.
“Right now, the team has really lost its identity,” the Flyers’ Shayne Gostisbehere said. “From where we were at the beginning of the year to where we are now, it [stinks]. We’ve got to find something here because we’re too good of a team to let it squander away.”
New York took a 6-0 lead with three goals in the first and second periods each.
“I don’t know if self-doubt is the right word, but definitely it was a struggle for me to get the puck into the net,” Zibanejad said. “But I tried to stick by the work and just trust myself that it’s going to come.”
Igor Shesterkin made 41 saves to get the win in hiss return from a lower body injury that kept him sidelined for 10 games.
Claude Giroux stopped the run with a goal in the middle frame.
K’Andre Miller scored in the second period to give the Rangers a 6-0 lead.
“A lot of plays that look like they’re going to be dead plays, doesn’t have a play, and that’s where a player makes a safe play, chips it out or whatever it might be, but it doesn’t seem that’s the case with him,” Rangers acting coach Kris Knoblauch said. “He’s always able to make that next play. Some guys can do it occasionally; ‘Foxy,’ it seems he can do it all the time.”
Kevin Hayes scored in the third period to make the score, 7-2 and Sean Couturier added a marker for a 7-3 score.
“We’re going to get an opportunity tomorrow to have our first practice in 12 days and we’re going to get back to work,” Flyers head coach Alain Vigneault said.
Adam Fox had five assists for the Rangers.
Pavel Buchnevich had two goals in the win including a shorthanded strike in the third period.
Ryan Strome also scored for the Rangers.
Filip Chytil added a late goal for the 8-3 final.
Carter Hart got the start, but was given the hook early in the middle frame, he made six saves and yielded five goals.
Brian Elliott made eight saves in a mop up role.
Brendan Lemieux #48 of the New York Rangers and Samuel Morin #55 of the Philadelphia Flyers square off at the end of the third period.
Tempers fear along the boards between the Philadelphia Flyers and the New York Rangers
Lineman #84 Tony Sericolo separates Ryan Strome #16 of the New York Rangers and Nicolas Aube-Kubel #62 of the Philadelphia Flyers
K’Andre Miller #79 of the New York Rangers
Shayne Gostisbehere #53, Sean Couturier #14, Goalie Brian Elliott #37 of the Philadelphia Flyers and Brendan Lemieux #48 of the New York Rangers
Pavel Buchnevich #89 of the New York Rangers
Nolan Patrick #19 of the Philadelphia Flyers attempts to screen and redirect a shot against Igor Shesterkin #31 of the New York Rangers
Mika Zibanejad #93 of the New York Rangers
New York Rangers Ryan Lindgren #55 assists Goalie Igor Shesterkin #31 in blocking a shot by Jakub Voracek #93 of the Philadelphia Flyers
A shot by Claude Giroux #28 of the Philadelphia Flyers (not pictured) scores against Igor Shesterkin #31 of the New York Rangers in the second period.
Mika Zibanejad #93 of the New York Rangers scores 54 seconds into the second period against Goalie Carter Hart #79 of the Philadelphia Flyers
Igor Shesterkin #31 of the New York Rangers makes a kick save.
Mika Zibanejad #93 of the New York Rangers deflects the puck past Carter Hart #79 of the Philadelphia Flyers
Ryan Strome #16 of the New York Rangers and Claude Giroux #28 of the Philadelphia Flyers
Ryan Strome #16 of the New York Rangers deflects the the puck past Goalie Carter Hart #79 of the Philadelphia Flyers
Nicolas Aube-Kubel #62 of the Philadelphia Flyers momentum carries him into the net of New York Rangers Goalie Igor Shesterkin #31
James van Riemsdyk #25 of the Philadelphia Flyers is checked into the New York Rangers goal crease.
Artemi Panarin #10 of the New York Rangers and Scott Laughton #21 of the Philadelphia Flyers
Ryan Lindgren #55 of the New York Rangers challenges Nicolas Aube-Kubel #62 of the Philadelphia Flyers for control of the puck.
Sean Couturier #14 of the Philadelphia Flyers skates with the puck behind Goalie Igor Shesterkin #31 of the New York Rangers
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