Photo Credits: FNG’s Rob Windfelder
The New York Rangers came to town Monday night and absolutely clobbered the hosting Philadelphia Flyers. It’s a long season and you are bound to get nights like this one but that doesn’t make it any more enjoyable.
The Rangers are in last place in the Metropolitan Division not even at hockey 500. The Flyers are still trying to recover from a disastrous January that has them chasing the pack as time is quickly running out on the 2025-26 NHL season. For the Flyers every point counts. So of course the Rangers stroll in and destroy them 6-2 chasing their star goaltender from the net after the 2nd period.
It was Laba, Zibanejad, and Lafreniere making things miserable in the opening period. The first Rangers goal came off of a rebound after Flyers goalie Dan Vladar made the initial glove save but could not control the rebound.
The Flyers have been leaning heavily on Vladar. He has been their most valuable player this season. When he is in the net the team has a chance of winning even when they are not at their best. Vladar has already started more games this season than any other season so far in his career.
It didn’t help that Igor Shesterkin was in the net at the other end of the ice. Shesterkin is rolling with a .913 SV% after 39 games with a last place team. Pretty impressive. And he played a strong game against the Flyers to earn this win. He stoned both Owen Tippett and Christian Dvorak on breakaways at a time when the game was not yet out of hand. The Flyers outshot the Rangers 34-27. Aside from the onslaught of Rangers goals Shesterkin did play a key part in this win.
Michkov
Matvei Michkov scored the first goal of the second period on a Flyers power-play. He picked up the rebound of a Jamie Drysdale shot and worked around the crease until the puck was in the net. He was on the right side of the first power-play unit, just for the record.
Dan Vladar is human
Perreault, Zimanejad (again), and Kartye scored in that order during the second period giving the Flyers a 6-1 deficit to work with going into the third.
Dan Vladar may be getting leaned on a bit too much at this point but he has no one to blame but himself. He has been fantastic this season.
Samuel Ersson started the 3rd period and stopped 3-of-3 shots that he faced. Sean Couturier scored the second Flyer goal with 4:32 remaining and all hope already lost. He scored from the slot after receiving a sweet pass from Nikita Grebenkin. Grebenkin was doing the hard work along the boards all night long. Owen Tippett also had a very physical game. The Flyers out hit the rangers 32-17.
Alex Bump playing in just his second NHL game was tied for the lead in Flyers shots on goal with four. Nick Seeler who has just returned from injury was tied for the team lead in shots. Travis Konecny also returned to the line up tonight.
Special Teams
The Flyers went 1-for-3 on the power-play in this game but they allowed New York to go 3-for-4. It just wasn’t the Flyers night. They looked disorganized and disjointed. Some of the give-aways were jaw droppers. They need to put this one past them and move on.
Busy week
The schedule this week leaves the Flyers little time to regroup. One day off before a back-to-back. They host the Capitals on Wednesday night in Philly then they are off to visit Bobby Brink in Minnesota where they take on the Wild Thursday night. Saturday night it’s back in Philly to face the Blue Jackets.
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