5 Takeaways: Rangers Rally Past Improved Flyers in OT

Because of cap problems, the New York Rangers were short some bodies Wednesday night at the noisy Wells Fargo Center.

But they weren’t short on talent.

The Rangers were able to dress just 16 skaters — five defensemen and 11 forwards — to fit under the salary cap.

Didn’t matter.

Rangers 3, Flyers 2.

With an animated crowd of 19,534 watching, Vladimir Tarasenko got position on defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen and scored off the rush, whipping a left-circle shot into the net with 2:28 left in a Rangers-dominated overtime.

The Rangers (35-17-9) had tied it at 2-2 on Chris Kreider’s deflection with 9:27 remaining in regulation.

Despite playing admirably, the Flyers (23-28-11) lost for the eighth time in nine games; they are 1-10 in overtime decisions this season.

“They have a pretty stacked lineup,” said goalie Carter Hart, who had a strong game in the defeat. “We just played hard and grinded it out.”

Here are five quick takeaways:

1. Owen Tippett and Scott Laughton were everywhere.

Blink and Tippett was either flying past a Ranger or ripping a shot at goalie Igor Shesterkin. The big right winger seemed to have the puck on his stick most of the night.

He scored his 18th goal, had eight shot attempts — one that kissed iron — and played one of his best games of the season.

“We have a lot of young guys in here who are playing some key minutes,” Laughton said. “I thought Tipper was all over it tonight, making a ton of plays. We’re going to need him to be one of our best players down the stretch here and kind of be our game-breaker.”

Like Tippett, Laughton was in the middle of numerous scoring chances. He gave the Philadelphia Flyers a 2-1 lead with 8:44 left in the second. Operating behind the goal line to the left of the net, he came out front and put a deft shot over Shesterkin’s right shoulder to the short side.

Laughton, who scored his 14th, finished with five shots and five hits.

Sarge and in charge. #NYRvsPHI | #FueledByPhilly pic.twitter.com/9YPkJihlJS

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) March 2, 2023

2. The Flyers recovered nicely from an awful start.

Philly faced a 1-0 deficit 2:51 into the game as Flyers-killer Mika Zibanejad (16 goals in 33 career games vs. Philly) scored on a point-blank one-timer while New York was on a power play. Hart had no chance.

To their credit, the Flyers rebounded. They had nine of the period’s last 13 shots, drew three penalties, and knotted the score at 1-1 on Tippett’s power-play goal with 4:55 left in the first.

Elliot Desnoyers helped set up the goal by alertly deflecting Shesterkin’s clearing attempt behind the net.

Torts postgame. #Flyers pic.twitter.com/8jmhcL56Yw

— Sam Carchidi (@BroadStBull) March 2, 2023

3. Philly was much improved over its previous outing.

The Flyers were coming off an ugly 7-0 loss in New Jersey.

“After the game in Jersey, one of our worst of the year, I thought we really responded,” Hart said.

“We pressured them pretty well tonight,” said Laughton after the Flyers finished with a 27-25 edge in shots, “but we obviously didn’t get the results.”

Coach John Tortorella liked his team’s performance, especially its forechecking.

“I’m just so pissed off for them,” he said of his players. “I just want to see them maybe once or twice here get rewarded. But you dust yourself off. We’ve got Tampa and Carolina, Pittsburgh. They’re coming. We’ve just got to keep on working on our checking and (our play) away from the puck.”

4. In what was likely the last game of James van Riemsdyk’s Flyers career, the left winger had a non-descript performance.

Van Riemsdyk, 33, who is expected to be dealt before Friday’s 3 p.m. deadline, had just one shot in 13:25. Vegas, Winnipeg, and Calgary are among the teams reportedly showing interest.

Lots of blue @nyrangers jerseys at WFC in Philly. #Flyers pic.twitter.com/dnnNsLOYYs

— Sam Carchidi (@BroadStBull) March 2, 2023

5. Rangers fans took over the Wells Fargo Center.

I don’t have an official count, but it seemed like half the crowd wore blue Rangers jerseys and made it feel like the game was in Madison Square Garden. That was especially evident as the Rangers dominated the early part of the game.

There were countless “Let’s Go Rangers!” chants, and the New York fans booed every time Flyers defenseman Tony DeAngelo touched the puck. He used to play for the Blueshirts. Rangers fans also chanted “Igor” whenever Shesterkin made a big save.

Yes, it was MSG South.

Philly fans responded with loud “Let’s Go Flyers!” chants after their team took a 2-1 lead, giving the game a playoff feel.

Breakaways

The Rangers were without the one of their best defensemen, K’Andre Miller, who is serving a three-game suspension for spitting at the Kings’ Drew Doughty. … Zibanejad’s goal was his 100th career tally on the power play. He has 10 goals in 12 career games against Hart. … Tippett, and Wade Allison both hit iron in about a four-minute, second-period span. … The Flyers won just 41% of their faceoffs. … Ivan Provorov had four giveaways. … TNT mistakenly blacked out the game in some parts of the Philadelphia Flyers’ viewing area. After the first period, the Flyers tweeted they were working with the league to fix the issue. When the third period started, the problem still existed. … The Flyers will host Detroit on Sunday at 6 p.m.