Blue Line Station
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New York Rangers: Kiss the lottery position goodbye and enjoy the wins

By Steve Paulus

PHILADELPHIA, PA - MARCH 31: Pavel Buchnevitch #89 of the New York Rangers celebrates his first period goal against the Philadelphia Flyers with his teammates on the bench on March 31, 2019 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - MARCH 31: Pavel Buchnevitch #89 of the New York Rangers celebrates his first period goal against the Philadelphia Flyers with his teammates on the bench on March 31, 2019 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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PHILADELPHIA, PA – MARCH 31: Filip Chytil #72, Tony DeAngelo #77, and Alexandar Georgiev #40 of the New York Rangers celebrate after defeating the Philadelphia Flyers 3-0 on March 31, 2019 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA – MARCH 31: Filip Chytil #72, Tony DeAngelo #77, and Alexandar Georgiev #40 of the New York Rangers celebrate after defeating the Philadelphia Flyers 3-0 on March 31, 2019 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images) /

Notes on the game

Alexandar Georgiev got his second straight start and pitched his second career shutout. He made 29 saves in what seemed like a much easier game than his previous effort against the Blues.

Georgiev now has a shutout string of 104 minutes, 58 seconds.

  • With Georgiev’s two shutouts, he will lead the team and have more than Henrik Lundqvist.  While  you would believe that Lundqvist has led the team in shutouts every year since he came into the league, not so.  In 2016-17 Antti Raanta had four shutouts to Lundqvist’s two.

    • Pavel Buchnevich

    opened the scoring at 16:25 in the first period on a broken play.

    Mika Zibanejad

    tried to pass the puck to Tony DeAngelo, but Flyer goalie

    Carter Hart

    deflected the puck right to Buchnevich who buried it.


    It was a milestone goal for Buchnevich.  His 20th goal of the season and his 100th point. That’s 11 goals and eight assists in his last 22 games.  He needs six points in the last four games to tie his career high.

    With three seconds left in the first, Ryan Strome scored the Ranger second goal.  He took a pass from

    Brett Howden

    and snapped a wrist shot from the faceoff circle past Hart.


    It was Strome’s 18th goal of the season (17 with the Rangers) and is a new career high for him. It was Strome’s 11th goal in his last 21 games.

    SInce February 17 over 21 games, Strome and Buchnevich have scored 20 of the Rangers 53 goals, almost 40%.

    Buchnevich had a nasty collision with Nolan Patrick in the third period.  He left the ice and never returned, but after the game David Quinn said he was fine and would play against the Devils.

    By winning, the Rangers averted a sweep of the season series by the Flyers.  The last time that happened was 1984-85.

    There was no more scoring until 7:39 of the third period when

    Brady Skjei

    took a shot from the blueline that was tipped twice by Flyer players before going in the net.

  • The Rangers took four minor penalties, all by Brendan Smith.  His second penalty was one I have never seen before.  Smith was in the box for tripping.  As his penalty expired the touched the puck with his stick before his skates hit the ice. He was given two minutes for interference.  While I get the rule, the penalty was over and the door was open and Smith was free to get back on the ice. What if the puck had hit his leg as he left the box?  Same penalty?   It’s a strange one.

    • When asked about Smith’s four penalties, David Quinn diplomatically called it “excessive” but wouldn’t pass judgment until he had a chance to see the penalties on replay.

    Brett Howden had two assists, the second two point game of his career and his first since November 1.

    Distribution of ice time was very equitable.  The only forward over the 20 minute mark was Zibanejad (20:02).  Every other forward was in double figures. Brady Skjei led all skaters with 26 minutes of ice time.

  • Brendan Lemieux was a healthy scratch, for the first time as a Ranger.  Quinn explained that he has been playing a lot of minutes and he wanted to give him a break as his play has slipped a bit.

    • This was the first time in their history that the Rangers and Flyers played each other when both teams have missed the playoffs.

  • For all you Dylan McIlrath fans, he has resurfaced in the NHL with the Detroit Red Wings.  The former Ranger first rounder hasn’t been in the NHL in over two years, playing in the AHL for the Grand Rapid Griffins.

    • Ranger prospect Morgan Barron and the Cornell Big Red were eliminated from the NCAA playoffs in a 4-0 loss to the Providence Friars.  Barron is expected to return to Cornell for his junior year.

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