Rangers 2, Flyers 1: Missed it by that much

The Konecny-less Flyers put up a heck of an effort on Saturday afternoon, but in the end the Rangers (thanks to a goal post in the dying seconds) escaped with a 2-1 victory.

The Basics

First period: No scoring

Second period: 11:56- Alexis Lafreniere (Vincent Trocheck, K\'Andre Miller)

Third period: 2:36- Tyson Foerster (Scott Laughton, Travis Sanheim), 6:31- Matt Rempe (Barclay Goodrow, Braden Schneider)

SOG: 41 (PHI) - 24 (NYR)

Some Takeaways

No TK but plenty of TF

The announcement prior to gametime that Travis Konecny was out with a \"minor upper body injury\" didn\'t help the Flyers\' chances. However, the return of Tyson Foerster was welcomed as he and Joel Farabee laid out Ryan Lindgren with a double-team check and was around the net for most of the late afternoon. Foerster was buzzing for most of the start, robbed by Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin. However in the third period, a barrage of early Flyers pressure left Scott Laughton falling behind the net but getting a pass off to Tyson Foerster. Foerster made no mistake for his eleventh of the year.

https://twitter.com/BroadStHockey/status/1761513948224876899

Deslauriers and Rempe

During the pre-game warmup it appeared that both Nic Deslauriers and the Rangers\' big enforcer Matt Rempe waxed poetically about pugilistic possibilities. Roughly four minutes in they dropped the gloves and went. And went. And went. A brutal, hellish string of punches that both connected on more often than not for 48 seconds concluded with Deslauriers falling down and Rempe beneath him. Both had rather hideous, noticeable welts to show for it as they went to the box to recuperate.

https://twitter.com/BroadStHockey/status/1761485951975469097

Powerless play

After an abbreviated first attempt, the Flyers had another power play thanks to former Flyer Erik Gustafsson for high-sticking about 12 minutes in. Unfortunately the advantage was rather listless after some early offensive zone time, another missed opportunity that could have given the Flyers a boost.

Early in the second period, the Rangers had their own full two minute power play but the Flyers did a stellar job of essentially keeping everything to the outside. A rather highlight-free approach to the first 10 minutes of the middle period kept both coaches happy as the neutral zone slowly but steadily became clogged up, leaving the Flyers with just five shots in the second.

Discipline

Joel Farabee took two foolish penalties (and thankfully avoided an unsportsmanlike conduct minor after the second) to put him back on Tortorella\'s naughty list. Unfortunately the Flyers returned to the box when Garnet Hathaway took a double-minor for high-sticking. The penalty kill neutered the Rangers as Scott Laughton hit the post on a glorious chance before Alexis Lafreniere was stoned by Ersson. Lafreniere was luckier minutes later when he beat Ersson on a shot Ersson would\'ve loved to have back. In the third Sean Couturier took another high-sticking penalty.

Seventh Heaven

While it still might not be to everyone\'s liking, the Flyers keep using seven blueliners and 11 forwards. It still seems to be working for the most part with nobody looking utterly spent. Through 40 minutes Travis Sanheim led the septet in ice time (15:09) while Egor Zamula (6:58) was sparingly spotted throughout. Despite Nick Seeler and Sean Walker on the ice for both Rangers\' goals (including the go-ahead credited to Barclay Goodrow intially before changed to Rempe), none of the pairings seemed to be hemmed in for extended periods of time.

Shersterkin

As the national telecast pointed out every three minutes the Rangers\' goalie had stopped all but two shots of late, the keeper was stellar in the third. A two-man shorthanded breakaway had Sanheim with the puck and Laughton close behind. Sanheim\'s attempt to beat Shersterkin low was stopped.

The Flyers, who had 13 shot attempts off the rush in the first 16 minutes of the third, had a late game power play. Jamie Drysdale fed Morgan Frost with a great pass but Frost missed the net. Ersson was pulled with just over two minutes for a brief two-man advantage but failed. Couturier had a great chance to tie it with seconds left but the puck hit the post resulting in the loss.

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Rangers 2, Flyers 1: Missed it by that much

Talking Points