Rangers Revenge: Beat The Flyers 3-1
With the memory of Wayne Simmonds
concussing Ryan McDonagh with a punch to the face eight days ago fresh
in their minds, the Rangers went out Sunday night at Madison Square
Garden and exacted the type of revenge they promised they would by
defeating the Philadelphia Flyers 3-1.
Simmonds was a non-factor for the Flyers who were stifled at every turn by a determined Rangers squad, who closed out their season series with a 3-1-1 record against the Flyers.
Henrik Lundqvist nearly backstopped his second consecutive shutout for the Rangers. He allowed a power play goal to Philly's Brayden Schenn with 9.7 seconds to play in regulation, but finished with 21 saves.
Derek Stepan scored a pair of third-period goals for the Rangers--eclipsing 100 goals scored in his career in the process. Derick Brassard had a goal and an assist, while Mats Zuccarello and Dan Girardi each recorded a pair of assists for the Blueshirts who are 5-0-1 in their last six games played.
The fireworks started early in this one as Simmonds was challenged immediately on his first shift by Rangers defenseman Dylan McIlrath. The pair of heavyweights engaged in a long fight in which each landed some clean blows and Simmonds was left with a nasty cut above his left eye--one that took several minutes for the Flyers trainers to stop bleeding.
That fight officially took place just 39 seconds into the game; and on the very next shift Tanner Glass delivered a thunderous check on Philly defenseman Radko Gudas and was promptly met at center ice by the Flyers' Ryan White. Glass and White each received five-minute fighting majors at the 59-second mark, meaning 20 minutes in penalties had been doled out less than one minute from the opening puck drop.
The nastiness largely subsided after that--though Zuccarello and Chris VandeVelde were sent off for coincidental cross-checking minors at 4:14--though the intensity on both sides remained very much alive. By time the first period ended the Rangers were credited with 16 hits--to just seven for the Flyers. Eleven of the 18 Blueshirt skaters recorded at least one hit during the first period, exemplifying just how ready the entire team was prepared to compete Sunday night.
The Rangers opened the scoring at 5:08 of the first period when Brassard flew behind Philadelphia's net and came out on the other side to beat goaltender Steve Mason on a wraparound off the skate of the Flyers goalie. It was Brassard's 19th goal of the season, tying his single-season career-high. The goal was assisted by Keith Yandle and Girardi.
Zuccarello was sent to the box for a four-minute double-minor high-sticking penalty at 12:53 of the opening period, but Lundqvist was stout early on during the penalty kill and his teammates did the rest as New York survived both penalties. Head coach Alain Vigneault used all six of his defensemen on those successful kills and six of his twelve forwards.
The second period was a taught defensive battle in which New York outshot Philadelphia 12-6, though neither team had many prime scoring chances during the scoreless stanza. Two of the Rangers' best opportunities came off the sticks of defenseman Kevin Klein and fourth liner Daniel Paille, though both were handled by Mason. At the other end of the ice Lundqvist made one sensational stop on Nick Cousins late in the period, not long after a Brayden Schenn power play knuckler fluttered by Lundqvist's glove and clanged off the post at 17:18.
The Blueshirts continued to throw a defensive blanket over the Flyers to start the third period, not allowing a shot on goal until nearly eight minutes had elapsed. Then at 10:34 the Rangers were finally able to add to their lead when Stepan netted his first goal of the game, and 100th of his career.
After strong work in the offensive zone by the Stepan line, Girardi fired a slap shot which never got through to Mason. However Zuccarello picked up the loose disc in the slot, drifted to his right taking both defenseman and Mason with him, and then sent a backhand pass cross-crease to a wide-open Stepan who settled the puck and fired it into the empty net, giving the Rangers a well-earned 2-0 lead.
Stepan scored his 12th goal of the season three minutes later, this one on the power play. After receiving a pass through traffic from Zuccarello, Stepan roofed a shot under the cross bar to make it 3-0 with 6:06 remaining in regulation. The Rangers have now scored a power play goal in each of their last two games.
FINAL STATS
NY RANGERS 3 PHILADELPHIA FLYERS 1
Scoring Summary
1st Period
05:08 NYR Derick Brassard (19) Wrap-around - ASST: Keith Yandle (27), Dan Girardi (12) 1 - 0 NYR
2nd Period
NONE
3rd Period
10:34 NYR Derek Stepan (11) Wrist shot - ASST: Mats Zuccarello (23), Dan Girardi (13) 2 - 0 NYR
13:54 NYR PPG - Derek Stepan (12) Snap shot - ASST: Mats Zuccarello (24), Derick Brassard (23) 3 - 0 NYR
19:50 PHI PPG - Brayden Schenn (16) Wrist shot - ASST: Jakub Voracek (36), Shayne Gostisbehere (21) 3 - 1 NYR
Penalty Summary
1st Period
00:39 PHI Wayne Simmonds Fighting (maj) - 5 min against Dylan McIlrath
00:39 NYR Dylan McIlrath Fighting (maj) - 5 min against Wayne Simmonds
00:59 PHI Ryan White Fighting (maj) - 5 min against Tanner Glass
00:59 NYR Tanner Glass Fighting (maj) - 5 min against Ryan White
04:14 PHI Chris VandeVelde Cross checking - 2 min against Mats Zuccarello
04:14 NYR Mats Zuccarello Cross checking - 2 min against Shayne Gostisbehere
09:39 PHI Mark Streit Cross checking - 2 min against Tanner Glass
12:53 NYR Mats Zuccarello Hi stick - double minor - 4 min against Shayne Gostisbehere
18:11 PHI Nick Schultz Tripping - 2 min against Jesper Fast
2nd Period
12:45 NYR J.T. Miller Too many men/ice - bench - 2 min against Nick Cousins
16:17 NYR Dylan McIlrath Tripping - 2 min against Pierre-Edouard Bellemare
19:15 PHI Scott Laughton Hooking - 2 min against Derick Brassard
3rd Period
13:42 PHI Radko Gudas Tripping - 2 min against Chris Kreider
15:35 PHI Pierre-Edouard Bellemare Interference on goalkeeper - 2 min against Henrik Lundqvist
15:35 NYR Kevin Klein Roughing - 2 min against Pierre-Edouard Bellemare
18:18 NYR Tanner Glass Slashing - 2 min against R.J. Umberger
shots by period
Period PHI NYR
1st 9 9
2nd 6 12
3rd 7 9
Total 22 30
Team Stats
Category PHI NYR
Power Plays 1/5 1/4
Hits 20 31
Faceoff Wins 31 26
Giveaways 10 16
Takeaways 3 3
Blocked Shots 14 20
Penalty Minutes 22 2
NY RANGERS 3 STARS OF THE GAME
1. HENRIK LUNDQVIST
2. DEREK STEPAN
3. MATS ZUCCARELLO
NEXT GAME:
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 18th, 8:00 PM NEW YORK RANGERS VS CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS
NY RANGERS BROADWAY HAT
#36 MATS ZUCCARELLO
Simmonds was a non-factor for the Flyers who were stifled at every turn by a determined Rangers squad, who closed out their season series with a 3-1-1 record against the Flyers.
Henrik Lundqvist nearly backstopped his second consecutive shutout for the Rangers. He allowed a power play goal to Philly's Brayden Schenn with 9.7 seconds to play in regulation, but finished with 21 saves.
Derek Stepan scored a pair of third-period goals for the Rangers--eclipsing 100 goals scored in his career in the process. Derick Brassard had a goal and an assist, while Mats Zuccarello and Dan Girardi each recorded a pair of assists for the Blueshirts who are 5-0-1 in their last six games played.
The fireworks started early in this one as Simmonds was challenged immediately on his first shift by Rangers defenseman Dylan McIlrath. The pair of heavyweights engaged in a long fight in which each landed some clean blows and Simmonds was left with a nasty cut above his left eye--one that took several minutes for the Flyers trainers to stop bleeding.
That fight officially took place just 39 seconds into the game; and on the very next shift Tanner Glass delivered a thunderous check on Philly defenseman Radko Gudas and was promptly met at center ice by the Flyers' Ryan White. Glass and White each received five-minute fighting majors at the 59-second mark, meaning 20 minutes in penalties had been doled out less than one minute from the opening puck drop.
The nastiness largely subsided after that--though Zuccarello and Chris VandeVelde were sent off for coincidental cross-checking minors at 4:14--though the intensity on both sides remained very much alive. By time the first period ended the Rangers were credited with 16 hits--to just seven for the Flyers. Eleven of the 18 Blueshirt skaters recorded at least one hit during the first period, exemplifying just how ready the entire team was prepared to compete Sunday night.
The Rangers opened the scoring at 5:08 of the first period when Brassard flew behind Philadelphia's net and came out on the other side to beat goaltender Steve Mason on a wraparound off the skate of the Flyers goalie. It was Brassard's 19th goal of the season, tying his single-season career-high. The goal was assisted by Keith Yandle and Girardi.
Zuccarello was sent to the box for a four-minute double-minor high-sticking penalty at 12:53 of the opening period, but Lundqvist was stout early on during the penalty kill and his teammates did the rest as New York survived both penalties. Head coach Alain Vigneault used all six of his defensemen on those successful kills and six of his twelve forwards.
The second period was a taught defensive battle in which New York outshot Philadelphia 12-6, though neither team had many prime scoring chances during the scoreless stanza. Two of the Rangers' best opportunities came off the sticks of defenseman Kevin Klein and fourth liner Daniel Paille, though both were handled by Mason. At the other end of the ice Lundqvist made one sensational stop on Nick Cousins late in the period, not long after a Brayden Schenn power play knuckler fluttered by Lundqvist's glove and clanged off the post at 17:18.
The Blueshirts continued to throw a defensive blanket over the Flyers to start the third period, not allowing a shot on goal until nearly eight minutes had elapsed. Then at 10:34 the Rangers were finally able to add to their lead when Stepan netted his first goal of the game, and 100th of his career.
After strong work in the offensive zone by the Stepan line, Girardi fired a slap shot which never got through to Mason. However Zuccarello picked up the loose disc in the slot, drifted to his right taking both defenseman and Mason with him, and then sent a backhand pass cross-crease to a wide-open Stepan who settled the puck and fired it into the empty net, giving the Rangers a well-earned 2-0 lead.
Stepan scored his 12th goal of the season three minutes later, this one on the power play. After receiving a pass through traffic from Zuccarello, Stepan roofed a shot under the cross bar to make it 3-0 with 6:06 remaining in regulation. The Rangers have now scored a power play goal in each of their last two games.
FINAL STATS
Scoring Summary
1st Period
05:08 NYR Derick Brassard (19) Wrap-around - ASST: Keith Yandle (27), Dan Girardi (12) 1 - 0 NYR
2nd Period
NONE
3rd Period
10:34 NYR Derek Stepan (11) Wrist shot - ASST: Mats Zuccarello (23), Dan Girardi (13) 2 - 0 NYR
13:54 NYR PPG - Derek Stepan (12) Snap shot - ASST: Mats Zuccarello (24), Derick Brassard (23) 3 - 0 NYR
19:50 PHI PPG - Brayden Schenn (16) Wrist shot - ASST: Jakub Voracek (36), Shayne Gostisbehere (21) 3 - 1 NYR
Penalty Summary
1st Period
00:39 PHI Wayne Simmonds Fighting (maj) - 5 min against Dylan McIlrath
00:39 NYR Dylan McIlrath Fighting (maj) - 5 min against Wayne Simmonds
00:59 PHI Ryan White Fighting (maj) - 5 min against Tanner Glass
00:59 NYR Tanner Glass Fighting (maj) - 5 min against Ryan White
04:14 PHI Chris VandeVelde Cross checking - 2 min against Mats Zuccarello
04:14 NYR Mats Zuccarello Cross checking - 2 min against Shayne Gostisbehere
09:39 PHI Mark Streit Cross checking - 2 min against Tanner Glass
12:53 NYR Mats Zuccarello Hi stick - double minor - 4 min against Shayne Gostisbehere
18:11 PHI Nick Schultz Tripping - 2 min against Jesper Fast
2nd Period
12:45 NYR J.T. Miller Too many men/ice - bench - 2 min against Nick Cousins
16:17 NYR Dylan McIlrath Tripping - 2 min against Pierre-Edouard Bellemare
19:15 PHI Scott Laughton Hooking - 2 min against Derick Brassard
3rd Period
13:42 PHI Radko Gudas Tripping - 2 min against Chris Kreider
15:35 PHI Pierre-Edouard Bellemare Interference on goalkeeper - 2 min against Henrik Lundqvist
15:35 NYR Kevin Klein Roughing - 2 min against Pierre-Edouard Bellemare
18:18 NYR Tanner Glass Slashing - 2 min against R.J. Umberger
shots by period
Period PHI NYR
1st 9 9
2nd 6 12
3rd 7 9
Total 22 30
Team Stats
Category PHI NYR
Power Plays 1/5 1/4
Hits 20 31
Faceoff Wins 31 26
Giveaways 10 16
Takeaways 3 3
Blocked Shots 14 20
Penalty Minutes 22 2
NY RANGERS 3 STARS OF THE GAME
1. HENRIK LUNDQVIST
2. DEREK STEPAN
3. MATS ZUCCARELLO
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 18th, 8:00 PM NEW YORK RANGERS VS CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS
NY RANGERS BROADWAY HAT
#36 MATS ZUCCARELLO
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