Flyers can’t string together two in a row, fall to Rangers

Returning home to the Wells Fargo Center after a four-game road trip, the Philadelphia Flyers were unable to string together two wins in a row as they fell Saturday to the New York Rangers, 6-3.

As soon as the puck dropped, a loud “Let’s Go Rangers” chant erupted from the New York fans who made the trip down to Philadelphia for the evening. Just minutes after, James van Riemsdyk gave the Flyers a 1-0 lead. A spin-o-rama pass from Owen Tippett along the boards saw the puck find van Riemsdyk who did a spin-o-rama of his own to beat Jaroslav Halak. Tippett finished the night with only one point (an assist) but displayed superb playmaking abilities throughout.

Artemi Panarin would equalize the game for the Rangers in the later stages of the first period. Barclay Goodrow dished out a pass to Panarin who was on his wing and he rifled a shot past Carter Hart. At the end of the first period, the game was tied 1-1. After being dominated by the Devils in the first period on Thursday, they responded by controlling the first 20 minutes on Saturday.

The second period is when the Rangers started to take over. K’Andre Miller beat Hart on a breakaway to give his team a 2-1 lead close to the halfway point. Miller was tripped by Sanheim, got back up on his feet quickly, and deked out Hart. Just over three minutes later, Goodrow would make it 3-1, giving the Rangers breathing room.

Toward the end of the second period, Scott Laughton scored a shorthanded breakaway goal to cut the deficit to just one. Breaking up a pass from Panarin, Laughton beat Halak five-hole to score his sixth of the year. After 40 minutes, the Rangers led 3-2.

Jimmy Vesey scored in the third period to give his side a 4-2 lead, but Morgan Frost would answer quickly to make it 4-3. In the end, the Rangers would score two empty net goals to defeat the Flyers 6-3.

Up Next

The Flyers take on the Columbus Blue Jackets for the third time this season on Tuesday in South Philadelphia. The puck drops at 7 p.m.