Recap: Rangers Storm Back, Defeat Flyers 5-4 in Shootout

The Rangers returned to Madison Square Garden and were matched up against the Philadelphia Flyers. The Flyers entered the game two spots ahead of the Rangers in the Metropolitan Division with three games in hand. Despite missing the previous game, Artemi Panarin returned to the lineup after he didn't play in the team's overtime victory against the St. Louis Blues due to feeling under the weather. In turn, Taylor Raddysh came out of the lineup and watched from the press box.

Despite having a lead after the first period, the Rangers gave up four goals in the second period and fought to recover. They gave up three goals on special teams, which haunted them as they aimed to tie the game up in the third. Despite the odds stacked against them, the Blueshirts worked together and sent the game to overtime. While overtime wasn't enough to decide the game, New York took the win in the shootout.

First Period

The game got started with some nice chances for the Blueshirts. Will Borgen had a shot deflected wide by Conor Sheary, and Gabe Perreault made a nice pass to Noah Laba in the slot, but he didn't get it past the net. Shortly after, Igor Shesterkin was put to the test with four shots on goal, but he rose to the occasion, keeping the game scoreless. Denver Barkey, who made his NHL debut, recorded two shots on goal but couldn't find his first goal.

A few minutes later, Gabe Perreault had a chance in front of the Flyers' net but put it wide. It seemed he couldn't make up his mind on what to do. Both teams had a hard time finding their footing early in the game. Despite being scoreless, the third line of Will Cuylle, Laba, and Perreault had some strong shifts in the first.

The fourth line had a great chance where Sam Carrick fed Matt Rempe right outside the crease, but he failed to get the shot off. Shortly after, Alexis Lafrenière had a shot ring off the outside of the post. The Blueshirts' scoring struggles at home continued, but with 6:03 left in the period, Carl Grundstrom got called for tripping Artemi Panarin.

The Rangers stuck with the same first power play unit as they did in St. Louis with Scott Morrow at the point. The first unit couldn't capitalize, with the best chance coming from J.T. Miller. The second unit was also unable to score, and the Rangers finished the power play with three shots on goal. While it didn't result in a goal, the power play looked much improved from how it has been in previous games. They held the puck in the offensive zone for most of the power play and made crisp passes.

The Flyers answered the power play with a good shift that consisted of good chances from Trevor Zegras and Travis Konecny, but Shesterkin kept the shutout alive as the final minutes of the first period ticked away. In the final minute of the period, the Rangers swung momentum in their favor. An icing by the Flyers set up the Rangers' first goal of the game. The Blueshirts lost the offensive zone face-off but stopped the clearing attempt, and Mika Zibanejad found Artemi Panarin wide open, and he was able to put it past Samuel Ersson.

The final seconds ticked away, and the Rangers walked into the first intermission with a 1-0 lead.

Second Period

To the happiness of Rangers fans everywhere, head coach Mike Sullivan inserted Perreault into the top six, switching out him and Sheary. Despite the changes, the Flyers came out hungry to start the second, and Konecny had a chance early, which he tipped wide of Shesterkin. Not long after, Perreault deflected the puck just wide while screening Ersson. Perreault quickly tried to take advantage of his time with Vincent Trocheck and J.T. Miller on the top line.

Laba would take a hard hit into the boards from Emil Andrae, and a scrum ensued. Sheary jumped right into the mix and dropped his gloves. Every Ranger on the ice, including Laba, took exception to the hit and stuck up for the rookie. Penalties were handed out to only Will Cuylle, and the Flyers headed to the power play, their first of the game.

The Flyers going into the game had struggled on the power play, not converting on their last 16 opportunities. That changed with a goal from Travis Sanheim. Sanheim g0t a feed off Barkey off the Flyers' offensive zone entry. Barkey found his first NHL point, which tied the game at 1-1.

The Flyers' second-period scoring wasn't over, as Owen Tippet beat Shesterkin 23 seconds later. Shesterkin got beat over the blocker on both goals, and the Rangers then trailed 2-1 with 12:57 left to play. Barkey assisted on both goals and has two points in his NHL debut.

The poor play of the second continued for New York, with Panarin getting called for a slash on Barkey, which sent the Flyers back to the power play. The Flyers then made it two for two on the man advantage with their third goal of the game coming from Zegras. After the faceoff victory, Zegras ripped it past Shesterkin once again on the blocker side, which made it 3-1 for the Flyers.

After they gave up three consecutive goals, the Blueshirts answered, and it was none other than the Breadman, his second of the day. Panarin stole the puck in the neutral zone and, once he entered the Flyers zone, pulled the trigger and squeaked it by Ersson, which brought the score to 3-2.

Shortly after the Panarin goal, Brennan Othmann took a hit into the boards from Nicolas Deslauriers, and the two dropped the gloves. It was a short-lived fight, and Othmann ate multiple right hooks. Deslauriers's hit brought the Rangers back to the power play as they called him for boarding.

The power play went any way but the way New York wanted, as they gave up a shorthanded goal to Rodrigo Abols. A turnover from Scott Morrow led to a three-on-one, and Sanheim came away with the puck before he fed Abols, which resulted in a 4-2 Flyers lead. Sullivan called his timeout before they would go back out on the man advantage.

Even after the mistake, Morrow returned out with the first power play unit as the Blueshirts played from behind. Trocheck almost had the opportunity to cut the lead to one off Morrow's rebound, but he failed to lift the puck over Ersson's pad. Once again, the Rangers failed to convert on the power play, and special teams continued to struggle. Immediately after, Laba got caught tripping, and Philadelphia was back on the power play.

New York cleaned up the penalty kill unit, which was able to keep the Flyers out of the net for the first time when shorthanded. Morrow had a good chance towards the end of the second, but the Rangers failed to score, resulting in the second ending with a score of 4-2. Poor play on special teams haunted the Rangers all throughout the period, and they entered the third period down two goals.

Third Period

Following an eventful second, the third period got off to a slow start. Chances from Trocheck and Laba were unable to get by Ersson. Laba drew a hooking call on Nick Seeler 4:16 into the period, and the Rangers had their third power play of the game.

The Rangers searched for a much-needed goal but were unable to come away with anything. The home crowd booed the Blueshirts as the first unit failed and the second unit came on with Panarin staying on. The power play remained unsuccessful, and the boos grew stronger.

After the third failed power play, the Rangers pulled the game to within one thanks to a goal from Trocheck. Perreault made a nice pass in transition to Miller, who then gave it to his close friend. Trocheck didn't get it in the back of the net on his first attempt, but on the rebound, he ended an 11-game scoring drought and made the score 4-3.

With about 10 minutes remaining, Miller took a big hit and skated right to the bench before he went to the locker room. Miller did not return to the game. Without their captain, they tried everything they could to rally.

With Miller not on the ice, Cuylle was promoted to the top line with Trocheck and Perreault, and Carrick played on the third line. Time started to run out with the Rangers still trailing by one with five minutes left to play in regulation. With three minutes remaining, Rasmus Ristolainen received a delay of game penalty, sending the Rangers on their fourth power play. Sullivan elected to pull Shesterkin, which put the team in a 6-on-4 scenario as they aimed to tie the game.

Three periods later and four power play opportunities, a vintage Zibanejad one-timer got past Ersson. The Rangers won the faceoff and held possession before Morrow made a pass from the blue line to Zibanejad, who was waiting in the circle. With 2:34 left to play in regulation, the two teams were tied at 4-4, and overtime loomed for both teams.

Regulation came to an end with a tie, and the Rangers were once again headed to overtime, this time without their captain, who has three overtime goals this season.

Overtime

It was a nightmare scenario as Panarin slashed Cade York eight seconds into overtime, giving the Flyers a 4-on-3. Flyers' head coach Rick Tocchet used their time-out before sending out their power play unit.

Despite struggles all game long, the Rangers held strong on the penalty kill when it mattered most. Shesterkin came up big with a strong save and kept the Rangers' hopes alive. While Philadelphia maintained possession for most of the power play, the penalty killers did not allow the Flyers many good looks and successfully killed the penalty.

Even-strength play at 4-on-4 would not last long, as Morrow got called for a trip on Zegras. Morrow turned it over as he tried to make a play, and the Flyers were back on the man advantage. The penalty kill held strong for 50 seconds and sent the game to a shootout.

Shootout

The Rangers sent out Artemi Panarin first, who added to his two-goal day with a beautiful backhand goal. Next up was Trevor Zegras, one of the best players in NHL history when it comes to the shootout. Zegras took his time, but Shesterkin stuffed him.

Next up was Trocheck, who, with a nice wrister, got the second shootout goal, which gave the Rangers a two-goal lead. It was up to Shesterkin on the other side to end the game, and he did just that, making the save on Konecny and giving the Blueshirts the second point.

The Rangers rallied after having trailed by two goals at different points in the game and are right back at it tomorrow against the Nashville Predators.