Wrap: Flyers Blanked 3-0 by Rangers
The Philadelphia Flyers slogged through a dreadful hockey game on Sunday afternoon at the Wells Fargo Center, dropping a 3-0 decision to the New York Rangers. There seemed to be an emotional carryover effect for the Flyers from having been mathematically eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs the previous afternoon in Raleigh. Philly went to the first intermission with a 2-0 deficit and never mounted much of a sustained threat to change the complexion of the game.
Alexandar Georgiev recorded a 29-save shutout for New York. Carter Hart was hung out to dry twice on first period goals by New York -- actually, several other times as well where he came up with saves -- and the third goal was a double-deflection off teammates Scott Laughton and Travis Sanheim. Hart finished with 22 saves on 25 shots.
New York played with good structure and checked well. Georgiev authored some good saves. On the whole, though, the Flyers were not hard enough to play against.
Pavel Buchnevich (20th) and Ryan Strome (18th) scored in the first period; the latter converting on a 2-on-1 inside the Flyers zone (with all five Flyers skaters on the left side of the center ice faceoff dot) with three ticks left on the first period clock. Brady Skej (7th) was credited with the third period double-deflection goal at 7:39 of the third period that made it 3-0.
Rangers defenseman Brendan Smith took four separate minor penalties in the game, including one two seconds after exiting the penalty box, but the Flyers went 0-for-4 on the power play. The PK went 2-for-2.
The Flyers have three games left in the season: Tuesday in Dallas, Thursday in St. Louis and next Saturday at home against Carolina.