It’s another bright morning in New York City, where the New York Rangers continued their strong performance by defeating the Philadelphia Flyers 6-1 at Madison Square Garden on Thursday, eliminating another Eastern Conference playoff contender.
The Rangers showcased contributions from all players in this victory, a trend that has become typical for them during their 7-0-3 streak, marking the 14th occurrence of a 10-game point streak in franchise history. It’s worth noting that these same players previously experienced a tough stretch, going 4-15-0 and landing at the bottom of the Eastern standings just two months ago. However, as of Friday, they find themselves only one point shy of a wild-card spot in the conference.
The Rangers’ triumph featured a three-goal third period, similar to their prior 5-0 win over the Ottawa Senators. An important distinction, however, is that Igor Shesterkin needed to put in more effort and display sharpness against the Flyers, making 33 saves, including an impressive 17 in the second period, in contrast to facing only 20 shots against the Senators.
On Friday, the Rangers have a day off before resuming practice on Saturday, preparing for a Sunday match against the Colorado Avalanche at MSG. Key takeaways from this latest win highlight how the Rangers successfully pressured the Flyers’ net, scoring four goals directly from that effort.
Ryan Lindgren expressed that there were uncertainties a month ago regarding the Rangers’ playoff potential. While there have been discussions about a potential J.T. Miller trade, Tom Castro argues that the Rangers should focus on upgrading other areas in the lineup rather than re-acquiring the former first-round draft pick.
In our weekly report on Rangers’ NCAA prospects, Gabe Perreault and Boston College have reached the top of recent rankings. Additionally, it has been reported that the NHL anticipates Gary Bettman retiring as commissioner “in a couple of years,” with the executive committee already beginning to look for his successor; Bettman has been in the role since February 1, 1993.
Alex Ovechkin is now just 20 goals shy of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL goal record after scoring his 875th goal in a 3-0 win for the Washington Capitals against the Seattle Kraken, marking Washington’s sixth consecutive victory.
The Islanders announced that defenseman Noah Dobson will not need surgery but will be week-to-week due to what seemed to be a lower-body injury.
Vegas Golden Knights forward William Karlsson is also classified as week-to-week with a lower-body injury.
Boston Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman is out with a “minor upper-body issue” and is day-to-day. Joonas Korpisalo substituted in and recorded 30 saves in a 2-0 victory against the Ottawa Senators.
Despite missing the injured Patrick Kane, the Detroit Red Wings triumphed over the Montreal Canadiens 4-2.
The Pittsburgh Penguins not only lost 5-1 to the Anaheim Ducks, but forward Bryan Rust also exited the game during the second period due to a lower-body injury.
The Edmonton Oilers sought revenge by defeating the Vancouver Canucks 6-2, even without suspended superstar Connor McDavid.
A standout performance from Jakob Pelletier helped the Calgary Flames secure a 5-2 win against the Buffalo Sabres.
Finally, the Carolina Hurricanes displayed an impressive second period, scoring five goals as they came away with a 7-4 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets.
