Rangers Vs. Flyers: Rangers Continue Dominance Over Flyers
The New York Rangers continued their dominance against the Philadelphia Flyers this afternoon with an energetic 5-2 win. Artem Anisimov came away with a three point evening, and helped propel the Rangers to victory. Henrik Lundqvist also made some amazing saves to keep the Rangers on top.
Just a minute and four seconds into the first period, Artem Anisimov gave the Rangers a quick 1-0 lead. Dan Girardi's slap shot was redirected in front by Anisimov, and it beat Ilya Bryzgalov over the shoulder. Not to long after the goal, we had our first fight of the afternoon between Stu Bickel and Wayne Simmonds.
The Rangers would eventually head into the locker room with a solid 1-0 lead of their divisional opponents. After Bickel took an interference call early in the second period, he dropped the gloves with Tom "Fantasy Camp" Sestito, in his second battle of the game. Both players got their blows in and got back to some hockey.
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Following a Brayden Schenn penalty, Jakub Voracek led Schenn on a breakaway coming out of the box. Ryan McDonagh bobbled the puck at the blue line, after a last-ditch effort to keep it in the zone. Schenn made a nifty backhand move and beat Lundqvist top shelf, and we had a tie game.
Just four minutes later, Sestito clearly didn't have enough and dropped the gloves with Brandon Dubinsky. The play that triggered the fight was Sestito's hit on Dubinsky, which, in my mind, was a blatant charging call. Anyways, with just under 30 seconds remaining in the second period, Marian Gaborik found a hole, and beat Bryzgalov on a wrap-around.
The goal would give the Rangers a 2-1 lead heading into the intermission, and Marian Gaborik was a little banged up. He skated off with a slight limp, but was perfectly fine come the start of the third period. Just 48 seconds into the third period, Brandon Dubinsky took a lazy delay of a game penalty, and sent the Flyers to yet another power play. It didn't take long as Wayne Simmonds cashed in nine seconds later.
Not too long after, Tom Sestito was at it again with Brandon Prust and the two exchanged blows once again. Only this time, Sestito was assessed a game misconduct, and that pest was finally off the ice for good. This game was as back and forth as you can get. Michael Del Zotto would put in the go-ahead goal, and eventually the game with just 36 seconds after Simmonds had tied the game. Marian Gaborik made an excellent pass over to the streaking Del Zotto, who slapped it five-hole on Bryz.
Just twelve minutes later, Brandon Dubinsky would notch his sixth goal of the season on a beautiful interception by Brandon Prust. Boyle fed it cross-ice to Dubinsky who fired it short side on Bryzgalov, and the Rangers had a commanding 4-2 lead.
Ruslan Fedotenko finished it off with an empty net goal to seal the deal for the Rangers, and they continued their dominance over the Flyers this season. The Rangers will be in action again, this Tuesday, against the New Jersey Devils at MSG once again.
