Flyers let win slip away, lose to Rangers in shootout

Despite earning a point, this one will sting for the Flyers. Appearing headed for two points, the Flyers allowed a Keith Yandle goal with 12.9 seconds left in regulation. After a scoreless overtime, the Flyers were blanked, 2-0, in the shootout during Saturday's 3-2 loss to the New York Rangers at the Wells Fargo Center.

It snapped a three-game win streak. The teams have played three, 3-2 shootouts, with the Rangers winning two of them.

"Every time you give up a goal in the last minute, it definitely stings a little," said rookie defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, who was brilliant with a goal and an assist.

In addition to the loss, Flyers forward Wayne Simmonds was assessed a first-period match penalty and earned an automatic ejection. A match penalty is for five minutes and imposed on any player who deliberately attempts to injure or who deliberately injures an opponent.

Simmonds was retaliating against Ryan McDonagh, who was called for two, two-minute minors on the play along the boards - high-sticking and slashing Simmonds with 9 minutes, 24 seconds left in the first period.

Simmonds then threw a punch with his left glove, on which didn't connect, but his elbow hit McDonagh in the chin. The Rangers captain went down. He then left the ice and didn't return to the game.

A player who receives a match penalty is automatically suspended from further competition until the commissioner has ruled on the issue. The Flyers play noon on Sunday at Washington.

Simmonds declined comment after the game.

When asked whether the match penalty was too harsh, Flyers coach Dave Hakstol bit his tongue.

"To be honest with you, I was just happy Simmer was still standing out there after the cross check that he took across the side of the head," Hakstol said.

When pressed about his opinion on the match penalty, Hakstol replied: "I don't have a comment on any of that other than I am happy Simmer wasn't injured."

Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said "we'll know more tomorrow" about McDonagh.

In the shootout, the Flyers' Sam Gagner went first and missed. Mats Zuccarello scored for the Rangers. After Claude Giroux missed, the Rangers clinched the win when Derek Stepan scored.

Yandle sent the game to overtime when he blasted a one-timer that goalie Steve Mason never saw.

"I didn't pick it up, but at the same time I have to find a way to fight through the bodies in front and make a save there, regardless of how hard it is to find it," Mason said.

After getting a goal taken away, the Flyers' Ryan White provided one on which there was no doubt about who scored. White's goal with 14:14 left in the third period gave Flyers a 2-1 lead. He took an outstanding cross-ice pass from Gostisbehere and slid a shot from near the left circle into the short side past Henrik Lundqvist for his sixth goal of the season.

The Flyers opened the scoring when Gostisbehere took a pass from Jake Voracek, and then faked a pass to his left. That bought the rookie some space, and he fired a wrist shot that went through a maze of bodies and into net for a power-play goal with 12:44 left in the second period. The goal was originally awarded to White, who set a terrific screen in front, but later given to Gostisbehere, his ninth of the season.

Gostisbehere extended his scoring streak to seven games - two goals and eight assists. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, that is a franchise record for longest scoring streak by a rookie defenseman, surpassing Dick Cherry's six-game streak in 1968-69.

The Rangers tied the score early in the third period on Chris Kreider's deflection and later sent it to overtime on Yandle's late-game heroics.

mnarducci@phillynews.com

@sjnard