Flyers defeat Rangers in shootout
It wasn't as dramatic as his shootout goal that proved to be the game-winner on the final day of the 2009-10 regular season, a victory that gave the Flyers a playoff berth and started a stunning run to the Stanley Cup Finals.
It wasn't as dramatic as his shootout goal that proved to be the game-winner on the final day of the 2009-10 regular season, a victory that gave the Flyers a playoff berth and started a stunning run to the Stanley Cup Finals.
But Claude Giroux's shootout goal Saturday night resulted in a similar outcome - it gave the Flyers a stunning win over the New York Rangers.
With a towel-waving, sellout crowd watching at the Wells Fargo Center, the Flyers scored an emotional, 3-2 victory over the Rangers, giving them their fifth win in the last six home games against the Blueshirts.
Sam Gagner and Giroux scored on gorgeous dekes in the shootout, and Steve Mason stopped 2 of 3 shots.
"A huge confidence-builder," said defenseman Mark Streit, who scored the Flyers' first goal.
Mason and Henrik Lundqvist took turns exchanging outstanding saves during the entertaining, fast-paced game.
In the shootout, Mason outdueled the great Lundqvist, just like Brian Boucher did on the last day of the 2009-10 season.
"He made some huge saves in overtime, where we could have put it away," Mason said. "He's a great competitor, and it's fun playing against him. . . . Obviously, Henrik is one of the best, and it's a great measuring stick."
The Flyers were 3-11 in shootouts last season and an NHL-worst 30-62 all-time before Saturday.
"It was important for us to get a win in a shootout; last year we had a lot of opportunities in shootouts and didn't get it done," Giroux said. "We did a good job of getting the two points tonight."
The Flyers have won four of their last five games.
"I think everybody is buying in, and that's the biggest thing," Scott Laughton said after scoring his first goal of the season. "There's a ton of blocked shots. We're not getting too swarmed in our zone; we're talking lots. Biggest thing is we are positive."
The Flyers lost the services of left winger Michael Raffl early in the second period; he is the third Flyer (center Sean Couturier and backup goalie Michal Neuvirth are the others) who have suffered apparent head injuries.
Raffl collapsed on the bench early in the second period and had to be helped to the locker room.
"Michael is a funny guy . . . and I thought he was joking around," Giroux said. "Then I realized he wasn't joking around, and I started freaking out."
Afterward, GM Ron Hextall said Raffl was not seriously injured; he would not give specific details on why Raffl collapsed.
After Mason denied Mats Zuccarello early in overtime, Gagner had a breakaway with 2 minutes, 25 seconds left and appeared to have Lundqvist beaten with a slick move, but he lost control of the puck at the last instant. With 1:06 remaining, Lundqvist stopped Matt Read's backhander from in front.
The Flyers outshot the Rangers, 48-39, including 5-3 in wide-open, three-on-three overtime. It was the most shots for the Flyers against the Rangers since they had 50 in a 3-0 win in 1978, when the goal scorers were Ross Lonsberry, Jim Watson, and Don Saleski.
The Rangers' Jarret Stoll thought he had scored on a rebound with 8:15 remaining in the second period to give New York a 3-2 lead. The refs ruled no goal, and it was upheld after the Rangers challenged the on-ice call and the video was reviewed.
The NHL ruled Stoll made incidental contact with Mason before the puck crossed the goal line, preventing the goalie from making the save.
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