Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider continued their success against the host Philadelphia Flyers on Friday afternoon, combining for three goals in a 3-1 New York Rangers victory.
Zibanejad and Kreider scored within a 68-second span early in the first before Zibanejad — who had just two goals this season entering Friday — extended the lead to 3-0 in the second.
Zibanejad has 18 goals in 42 career games against the Flyers while Kreider has 17 goals in 40 games against the Metropolitan Division rival.
Goalie Igor Shesterkin made 36 saves for the surging Rangers, who have won 12 of 14 (12-1-1) heading into Saturday’s game against the Boston Bruins, the only team with more points than New York in the Eastern Conference.
Sean Couturier scored late in the second for the Flyers, who have lost two straight following a five-game winning streak. Philadelphia was scoreless in six power-play opportunities Friday.
Goalie Carter Hart recorded 16 saves.
Zibanejad opened the scoring just 45 seconds into the game. After racing along the right side of the ice, Blake Wheeler shuffled the puck long enough to force Flyers defenseman Sean Walker to kneel in an attempt to block a potential shot. Wheeler then passed across the crease to Zibanejad, who buried the puck into the open left corner of the net past a sprawling Hart.
Kreider pounced on a turnover off a faceoff to double the lead just 68 seconds later. Zibanejad lost the duel in front of the Flyers’ net with Scott Laughton and the puck bounced to Travis Sanheim, whose pass to Garnet Hathaway was picked off by Kreider before he beat Hart from point-blank range.
Wheeler and Zibanejad teamed up again 7:41 into the second. Zibanejad dished through the neutral zone to Wheeler before streaking up the middle of the ice. Wheeler’s pass into the crease arrived before Zibanejad could fully corral it, but the center got a stick on the puck, which fluttered past Hart.
The Flyers got on the board with 2:21 left in the period, when Nick Seeler’s shot from the blue line glanced off the stick of Couturier and over Shesterkin’s shoulder.
A potential second goal for Kreider — off an assist from Zibanejad — was waved off due to offsides with 6:31 left in the third.
–Field Level Media
