Having a chance to pick up a win on a quick turnaround, the New York Rangers instead bore the Madison Square Garden crowd against the Flyers.
New York Rangers 0 (16-6-2, 34 pts)
Philadelphia Flyers 3 (9-10-5, 23 pts)
Metropolitan Division, Final Game Box Score
Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
By Robby Sabo
Alert the presses, for the New York Rangers have lost three straight in regulation. The latest disappointment came today as the very average Philadelphia Flyers came into Madison Square Garden and shut them down by a final of 3-0.
Though the first period New York owned most of the play, once the teams came out for the second Philly dominated. The Rangers imply couldn’t get anything going offensively. Time and again, Philly clogged up the neutral zone and forced New York to make boneheaded plays with the puck.
It was obvious the Blueshirts weren’t going to get one past Flyers goalie Steve Mason. The only issue in doubt was whether they could actually get a puck deep.
After a second period that featured 18 Philly shots, Alain Vigneault desperately shuffled the lines entering the third.
This did nothing. In fact, New York’s play continued to grow worse. Whether by pass or dump-in, Philly’s defense clogged up the blueline (not allowing the Rangers to get in deep).
Mason finished with 24 saves on the day. Antti Raanta, receiving the start thanks to this being the second of a back-to-back, was brilliant in defeat stopping 31 tough Flyers shots. If it hadn’t been for the Rangers backup goalie, this one could’ve been 5-0 at the end of two periods.
#Flyers shut out the Rangers 3-0! Goals from Simmonds (2) & Couturier. Next game 12/1 at Ottawa, 7:30pm #PHIvsNYR pic.twitter.com/GxTUTRrDJO
— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) November 28, 2015
.@NHLFlyers earned their first regular-season road win vs. NYR since Feb. 20, 2011, ending a 10-game skid (0-10-0). pic.twitter.com/wBWmUHL3VF
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) November 28, 2015
All aboard. #WayneTrain #PHIvsNYR
https://t.co/oKKIPBTmNA
— NHL (@NHL) November 28, 2015
The play of the game so far definitely belongs to Steve Mason. #PHIvsNYR
https://t.co/Pate6Gh6F2
— NHL (@NHL) November 28, 2015
Wayne Simmonds (5) and Sean Couturier (2) were the goal scorers for Philly. Simmonds put one past Raanta in that dominating second, while Couturier added the second goal early in the third period. Simmonds put the cherry on top with an empty netter from his own defensive end.
Mason improves to 7-3-1 against the Rangers in his career.
It’ll be back to the drawing board for Vigneault and company. Mission number-one will be trying to replace the obvious gaping hole the absence of Derek Stepan presents.
They’ll host the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday night.
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