Kaapo Kakko and Artemi Panarin scored in the shootout to give the New York Rangers a 3-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday night.
Colin Blackwell and Brendan Smith scored in regulation for the Rangers, who snapped a four-game skid.
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Kaapo Kakko and Artemi Panarin scored in the shootout to give the New York Rangers a 3-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday night.
Sean Couturier had Philadelphia’s lone goal in the shootout.
Philadelphia, which had four games postponed, had just one practice and Thursday morning’s skate since its last action.
The Rangers nearly tied it on the power play with 45 seconds left in the first, but Panarin’s slap shot clanged off the post.
In addition to Giroux, forwards Travis Konecny, Scott Laughton, Oskar Lindblom and Jakub Voracek and defenseman Justin Braun were out. None of the six will make the trip to Lake Tahoe on Sunday for Philadelphia’s outdoor game against Boston.
D Jacob Trouba (broken thumb) missed the first game of what is expected to be a four-week absence. D K’Andre Miller (upper body) sat for the second straight game.
Nicolas Aube-Kubel and Joel Farabee scored for the Flyers, who were playing for the first time since Feb. 7 because of COVID-19. Philadelphia was without six players who are still in the COVID-19 health and safety protocol, including captain Claude Giroux, whose streak of playing in 328 consecutive games ended.
New York Rangers' Adam Fox (23) and Philadelphia Flyers' Maksim Sushko (64) collide during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021, in Philadelphia. (AP PhotoMatt Slocum)
Sean Couturier had Philadelphia’s lone goal in the shootout.
Smith put New York up 2-1 on his first goal of the season with 11:39 left. Panarin, back from two-game absence due to a lower body injury, set up the goal with a cross-crease pass to a wide-open Smith.
With goalie Carter Hart pulled for an extra skater, Philadelphia tied it with 1:14 left in regulation on Farabee’s seventh of the season. Ivan Provorov shot the puck off the back boards, and Kevin Hayes deflected it toward the net to Farabee, who poked it home.
New York Rangers' Kaapo Kakko (24) score a goal against Philadelphia Flyers' Carter Hart (79) during a shootout in an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021, in Philadelphia. (AP PhotoMatt Slocum)
Philadelphia, which had four games postponed, had just one practice and Thursday morning’s skate since its last action.
But the Flyers came out sharp in the first period.
Aube-Kubel gave the Flyers a 1-0 lead 59 seconds into the game when he batted home the puck after a scramble in front.
Philadelphia Flyers' Kevin Hayes, right, cannot get a shot past New York Rangers' Alexandar Georgiev during a shootout in an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021, in Philadelphia. (AP PhotoMatt Slocum)
The Rangers nearly tied it on the power play with 45 seconds left in the first, but Panarin’s slap shot clanged off the post.
Blackwell evened it 3:24 into the second period on the power play on a deflection of Pavel Buchnevich’s shot. The Rangers had a great chance to take the lead with 3:19 left in the period, but Hart stopped Buchnevich’s penalty shot after Buchnevich was hooked by Provorov on a breakaway attempt.
FLYERS ON ICE
New York Rangers' Alexandar Georgiev (40) and Pavel Buchnevich (89) celebrate after winning an NHL hockey game against the Philadelphia Flyers, Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021, in Philadelphia. (AP PhotoMatt Slocum)
In addition to Giroux, forwards Travis Konecny, Scott Laughton, Oskar Lindblom and Jakub Voracek and defenseman Justin Braun were out. None of the six will make the trip to Lake Tahoe on Sunday for Philadelphia’s outdoor game against Boston.
It was the first time since March 1, 2009, that neither Giroux nor Voracek was in the Flyers’ lineup.
RANGERS ON ICE
New York Rangers' Brendan Smith (42) scores a goal past Philadelphia Flyers' Carter Hart (79) and Shayne Gostisbehere (53) during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021, in Philadelphia. (AP PhotoMatt Slocum)
D Jacob Trouba (broken thumb) missed the first game of what is expected to be a four-week absence. D K’Andre Miller (upper body) sat for the second straight game.
TRICKY TESTING
Because of a winter storm that hit Philadelphia on Thursday and difficult road conditions, the Flyers did their daily COVID-19 testing in two locations on Thursday morning. Players living in and around Philadelphia got tested at the team’s home arena while those residing in New Jersey got it done at the team’s practice facility in that state.
New York Rangers' Anthony Bitetto (22) collides with Philadelphia Flyers' Andy Andreoff (10) and Connor Bunnaman (82) during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021, in Philadelphia. (AP PhotoMatt Slocum)
UP NEXT
Rangers: At Washington on Saturday night.
Flyers: Play Boston at Lake Tahoe on Sunday. The NHL moved the start of the game up an hour to 2 p.m. Eastern.
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