Bobby Brink scored the goal that put the Flyers in the lead early in the second period, while Samuel Ersson stopped 24 shots, helping Philadelphia break an eight-game losing streak with a 4-1 victory over the New York Rangers on Thursday night.
Cam York, Travis Konecny, and Noah Cates also scored for the Flyers, who hadn’t won since defeating Boston at home on March 23. With this win, they stay in the playoff race in the competitive Eastern Conference.
The Flyers have two games left and are tied with Washington and Detroit at 85 points, just one point behind Pittsburgh for the second wild-card spot. The Capitals, Red Wings, and Penguins all have three games remaining.
“This game can give us something to build on for the next two,” Flyers coach John Tortorella said. “We win, and we have another chance to fight.”
The Rangers had been on a winning streak against the Flyers, but that ended with this loss. Rangers coach Peter Laviolette criticized his team’s decision-making and urgency.
Ersson, who now has a record of 22-18-7, only let in one goal, scored by Artemi Panarin. This victory was especially important for the Flyers after their heavy defeat against Montreal.
“The win was huge, especially after our last performance,” Ersson said. “We gave it our all tonight, building momentum for the remaining games.”
The Rangers, who have 53 wins, just one short of a franchise record, still have two games left in the regular season. They need to play their best hockey to secure a good position. “We need to show urgency in these next two games,” Rangers captain Jacob Trouba said. “We have to be at our best.”
The game saw goals from York, Panarin, Brink, Konecny, and Cates, with the Flyers focusing on solid defense throughout. The Rangers are currently leading the division, but their lead is only three points ahead of Carolina, with Boston trailing closely behind. Both Carolina and Boston have three games left to play.
