Adam Fox scored in overtime to give the Blueshirts a come-from-behind 6-5 win over the visiting Philadelphia Flyers at Madison Square Garden.
The New York Rangers reached the 100 point plateau as Adam Fox scored in overtime to give the Blueshirts a come-from-behind 6-5 win over the visiting Philadelphia Flyers at Madison Square Garden.
The Blueshirts have now come from behind for wins 23 times this season and 11 when trailing in the third period alone.
The Flyers and Rangers played the first ten minutes even, however the Flyers began to take over play halfway through the period.
Flyers forward, Travis Sanheim had a shot blocked by Matt Rempe at 13:09 of the first, which brought The Garden fans to their feet.
The Flyers continued to pour on the pressure, and eventually earned a questionable hooking call on Adam Fox. The Blueshirts successfully killed the penalty with relative ease.
After one period the Flyers held a 15-9 shot on goal advantage, but the game remained scoreless.
Two minutes into the period, Rempe found himself on a line with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider for a face-off deep in the offensive zone. The trio were unable to produce pressure, but Rempe was parked in front of the Flyers net like Phil Esposito would in the late 70's.
2:58 into the second the Flyers opened the scoring as Scott Laughton found the back of the net after springing free on the right side. Travis Konecny earned the primary assist with a perfect pass.
10:06 into in the second, Vincent Trocheck was called for tripping Tyson Foerster, and the Flyers made the Blueshirts pay. Laughton sent a neat pass to the middle to Ryan Poehling, who tipped home the Flyers power play goal, giving Philadelphia a 2-0 lead.
With 5:20 left in the period, the Rangers got a break as Foerster high sticked Fox. The Rangers took advantage, as they converted and cut the lead to 2-1.
Zibanejad beat Flyers goalie Samuel Ersson, short-side with the extra man, getting them right back in the game. Fox and Artemi Panarin registered assists. For Panarin it was his 100th (43-57-100) point of the season. He is the 7th Ranger to reach 100 points since Jaromir Jagr did in 2005-2006.
The goal woke up the Rangers, who carried momentum into the third period.
Only 1:23 into the third period, Jonny Brodzinski knotted the game at two a piece.
1:34 later, Alexis Lafreniere put the Rangers ahead 3-2, and the Blueshirts thought they were rolling.
But the Flyers settled down, and with 13:15, tied the game back up at three. Konecny scored his 31st of the season off a 2-on-1 rush that he kept and fired past Shesterkin.
With 8:38 remaining Zac Jones was called for high sticking. Not only did the Rangers kill the penalty, they scored a shorthanded goal when Vincent Trochek deposited a beautiful pass from Zibanejad to give the Rangers a 4-3 lead.
But the lead wouldn't hold for long as Flyers forward, Owen Tippet shoveled home his 26th of the season to even the score, 4-4.
But with 6:01 remaining the Rangers jumped out in front again, this time 5-4, as Lafreniere (second of the game and period) buried a Chris Kreider rebound.
But the scoring-fun wasn't over yet as the Flyers scored again after a pileup in the crease, Foerster scored the game's seventh goal of the period, to draw the teams even again at 5-5 with only 3:31 to play.
Despite the bevy of goals, overtime was needed to help settle this game.
But in reality, all that was needed was another Adam Fox shot from the point to give the Rangers a 6-5 win in OT.
The win clinched a playoff birth for the Rangers, who are still looking for home ice advantage and perhaps The Presidents Trophy.