For the New York Rangers, this game felt like they could do no wrong. They were dominant for most of the game if not all of it. Igor Shesterkin was on the ice and only made 19 saves for a shutout of this Flyers roster. New York kept smashing into the Flyers’ zone with wave after wave of attacks and just couldn’t quite top the Philly netminder. At a lot of points, this game had the feel of one the Rangers would dominate and lose.
Luckily for the Rangers, Chris Kreider would tally his third of the year to ensure that the Rangers got the extra point in the three-on-three overtime. New York has now won three in a row with wins over Dallas, Arizona, and now Philadelphia. It’s safe to say that the Rangers have corrected themselves after that four-game skid in which they endured an 0-2-2 record for their troubles.
During the second period of this game, the Rangers looked like they were playing an AHL opponent. With all due respect to the Philadelphia Flyers, the Rangers had them scrambling defensively and on the penalty kill. It seemed like all the Rangers had to do was slam the puck into the corners and the Flyers had no idea how to get rid of it. It’s obviously not quite that simple, but this Rangers team just outclassed the Flyers.
This win moves the Rangers up above the Carolina Hurricanes to second in the Metropolitan division. With the New Jersey Devils leading the division on points percentage, the Rangers are back in the conversation at the top of the division where they need to be. Carolina has played fewer games than everyone else up there, but the Rangers are competing for the division crown.
Next up for the Blueshirts is the best team in the NHL to start the year. The white-hot Boston Bruins will be visiting the Garden in an original six showdown. This would be a monumental win for the Rangers. Proving they are over their losing streak and beating the team that currently tops the NHL standings would be a major victory. Boston is 8-1 right now. New York making it 8-2 would be a big deal.