New York Rangers clinch a playoff berth in back and forth overtime win over Flyers

I'm sure when we pictured a game between John Torterella's Philadelphia Flyers and Peter Laviolette's New York Rangers, we all expected a 6-5 overtime win for the New York Rangers. It wasn't how it normally occurs, but the Rangers got the two points, and sealed their ticket to the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs in the process. They will be there, fighting for the Stanley Cup.

Philadelphia would strike in the second period. A really bad line change would open up half of the ice for the Flyers to exploit, and Philly did that by working it over to Scott Laughton who was in alone on Igor Shesterkin. He's able to drive in and pick a corner to give the Flyers an early lead in this game. New York hadn't been at the races to this point, and the Flyers were value for the lead they held.

Philadelphia doubled its lead on the powerplay. Egor Zamula was able to fire a beautiful pass across the box of the penalty killers to Laughton on the far faceoff circle. Laughton would find a pass to Ryan Poehling behind Igor Shesterkin who was able to flick the puck home. Now only were the Rangers now in a hole, they were being doubled up in the shot category, They needed to wake up like they did against the Panthers now.

New York's powerplay would answer the call. To open the scoring, Chris Kreider would get the puck around to the point to Adam Fox who worked it over to Artemi Panarin. Panarin gives it over to Mika Zibanejad who is able to pick a corner on Ersson and give the Rangers life. With less than five to go in this period, the Rangers are on the board.

New York would get the second back in the third. Kaapo Kakko's pressure forced a turnover in the corner behind the Flyers net. Kakko is then able to find a perfect pass into the slot for Jonny Brodzinski who is able to find the twine behind Samuel Errson and the Rangers have come back from two goal deficits in back-to-back games now. A great start to the third period. There was still time to win this one in regulation.

It would be the former first overall pick on the Rangers roster to give the Rangers their first lead of the night. A shot from K'Andre Miller bounces up and into the air where the Flyers have some trouble tracking it. Zibanejad's followup shot bounces along the goal line before the Flyers could pull it off the line, but it was pulled onto the stick of Alexis Lafreniere who fired it home to give the Blueshirts the lead.

The problem was the Rangers lead didn't last. An offensive zone turnover would allow Travis Koncecny to walk in alone on Shesterkin. With the momentum completely on the Rangers side, the Flyers winger and alternate captain was able to fire it home and knot this game back up at three. A bad goal for the Rangers to give up when they had clearly been the better team in this period, but they had to get it back now.

Shorthanded, the Rangers would restore their lead. A turnover in the Rangers zone would allow Mika Zibanejad to carry the puck up the left side of the ice on a two-on-one. Being forced to respect the shot, Ersson cannot account for the pass, so Mika sends it across to Vincent Trocheck who puts it home, and the Rangers are once again in front in this one.

It wouldn't last long as the Flyers would find a beautiful flip pass down the middle of the ice behind the Rangers defense. It would land on the stick of Owen Tippett who was able to send a fourth one past Igor Shesterkin and we're tied up again. This game was swinging like a pendulum, and was starting to have the feel of whoever scores last will win. Whether that be regulation or OT, this one was going to be right.

New York would get the next one when an offensive zone faceoff would create mayhem. A puck pulled back on the faceff by Vincent Trocheck into the path of Artemi Panarin was blocked by a Flyer who dropped to the floor in pan, but the loose puck found its way to wheelhouse of Alexis Lafreniere who snapped it home to get his second of the game, and the Rangers have got an advantage.

Philadelphia would get it back again. Tyson Foerster would resucue the puck in the corner and allow the Flyers to work it out in front to Ryan Poehling. He was stopped, but the puck trickled behind Shesterkin and stopped on the goal line. Eventually, Foerster was able to get to the loose puck and put it home to tie us up at 5 goals each in this suddenly high-scoring affair.

In overtime, the decisive goal would be the winner. It would come from some great offensive zone pressure from the Rangers. Artemi Panarin did well to enter the zone and get the puck back to Vincent Trocheck. Trocheck would circle around and get back to the point where he would give it back to Adam Fox. Fox picked a corner, and said game over. Two points in the standings for the Rangers as they move to 100 on the year, and Panarin gets his 101st on the OT winner, passing the 100 point mark for the first time in his career.