Rangers throttle Flyers, 6-2 PHN's Best Shots of the Game

PHILADELPHIA – The New York Rangers stopped off in Philadelphia on Monday night and handed the Flyers a 6-3 loss. The Rangers scored three goals in each of the first two periods, and then relied on Igor Shesterkin to lock the win in the third period.

“One of the things we talked about was having a better start, being proactive as opposed to being reactive,” Rangers coach Mike Sullivan said. “The last few games we’ve given up early leads. We fought back, but the point is that we’ve got to be better at the start of the drop of the puck and I’ve always been a strong believer that that’s a mindset. I thought the guys did a great job tonight.”

Shesterkin made 32 saves including 12 in the third period.

Mika Zibanejad  hit for a double and three points in the win.

Matvei Michkov and Sean Couturier were the only strikers for the Flyers.

“I think mentally we weren’t sharp,” Couturier said. “We gave up a lot of quality chances and they capitalized on us.”

The Rangers were 3-for-4 on the power play.

Gabe Perreault, Alexis Lafreniere, Noah Laba and Tye Kartye added single markers for the Rangers who are 3-1-2 since the end of the Olympic break.

The Rangers top line of Zibanejad , Perreault,and Lafreniere was active through the game.

“I think there’s complementary skill sets in the sense that they’re a little bit different in what they bring, although I think the common denominator is they all have pretty good offensive instincts,” Sullivan said. “Mika is a real cerebral player, and he plays on both sides of the puck so he’s very conscientious. … Mika and ‘Laf’ are strong on pucks in the offensive zone, their ability to protect pucks and hang on to pucks, and I think Gabe is getting better in that regard.”

Perreault especially stuck out as a force on Monday.

“The skill and stuff, it’s been pretty evident for everyone,” Zibanejad said. “But just the way he sees the ice, the way he makes plays. The power-play goal is a perfect example of the way he makes a play. … The more he plays, the more confident he gets.”

Laba, Zibanejad and Lafreniere scored in the first period to give the the Rangers a 3-0 lead headed to the middle frame.

The Flyers hit back in the middle frame with a marker from Michkov to trim the deficit to 3-1.

The Rangers replied with three goals.

Perreault hit off the power play to make it 4-1.

“Definitely game by game, I feel like I get more and more confident, and that kind of helps with getting other players’ trust, and the coaching staff,” Perreault said. “And I believe in being confident myself as well.”

Zibanejad picked up his double, also off the power play for a 5-1 lead to New York, and Kartye scored to send the game to the third with a 6-1 lead to the Rangers.

Couturier scored in the third period to make it 6-2.

The Rangers played defense in the third and had only three shots on goal.

Dan Vladar got the start and yielded all six goals, making 18 saves.

He was given the hook in the second intermission, in favor of Samuel Ersson who faved only three shots, saving all of them.

“Not protecting the middle of ice, which is something we always talk about,” Flyers coach Rick Tocchet said. “We’ve done a good job since the (Olympic) break, but tonight, there’s guys that have to stop in the slot and you’ve got to protect the middle, and we’ve got to box out better. How many goals they got, six? And how many were from the middle of the slot or in front of our net? That’s the game.”