The Flyers were in crucial situation because they had lost their last four games and faced the Rangers. The Rangers beat the Flyers 9-0 in their last meeting. Unfortunately, the Rangers again blew the Flyers out 8-3.
Rangers Mika Zibanejad had an unreal game where he collected another hat trick which he became the third player in the NHL history to record a hat trick in consecutive games against the same opponent. Zibanejad, in fact, scored a natural hat trick, while becoming the third player in NHL history to tally a natural hat trick against the same opponent in consecutive games.
11 minutes into the opening period, the Rangers got on board when Artemi Panarin passed to a wide open Ryan Strome for the 1-0 lead.
Just eight minutes into the opening stanza, the Rangers got another goal as Pavel Buchnevich scored on a snap shot (assisted by Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad) to give the Rangers a 2-0 lead.
With 7:10 left in the period, the Rangers Mika Zibanejad made it 3-0 Rangers when he ripped a shot past Carter Hart.
Less than a minute into the second period Zibanejad one timed a shot past Hart to put the Rangers up 4-0
About a minute later, Mika Zibanejad scored from the slot to complete the hat trick and give the Rangers 5 goal lead.
K’Andre Miller kept it going as as he snapped a shot into the goal from the blue line to make it 6-0.
Flyers Claude Giroux got the Flyers on the board off a pass from Kevin Hayes to make the score 6-1 Rangers.
With 6:26 left in the second period, Sean Courturier made a great set up to Kevin Hayes and Hayes shot it right off the cross bar for the Flyers’ second goal of the night to make the score 6-2.
The Flyers had some momentum at the end of the second period and beginning of the 3rd period, but Pavel Buchnevich of the Rangers broke the Flyers by beating Brian Elliot (assisted by Adam Fox and Mika Zibanejad) to make the score 7-2 Rangers.
Less than a minute later, the Flyers grabbed another goal from Sean Couturier when he zipped right by Rangers goalie, Igor Shestyorkin to make the score 7-3.
With less than three minutes left in the game, the Rangers weren’t done with scoring as Alexis Lafreniere scored on a beautiful wrist shot to make the final score 8-3 Rangers.
The Flyers fall to 15-13-4 on the season and fall behind the Rangers in the standings. Samuel Morin fought Brendan Lemieux in the final minutes of the game, and stuck up for his teammate Kevin Hayes after a hit, as well. For the most part, Morin played a solid hockey game in 13 minutes of ice time, and provided much needed toughness.
Oskar Lindblom got great news last night too, “Hopefully keep it the same and be cancer free for the rest of my life.” Lindblom is cancer free folks as he exclaimed to us last night.
NEXT UP: The Flyers will play their second game of a two game series against the 15-13-4 New York Rangers on Saturday, March 27th at 1 PM EST. You can see the game on NBC Sports Philadelphia.
