Shorthanded Flyers Shut Out by Rangers

By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 

The Flyers shorthanded lineup on Wednesday resembled more of their minor league team than their current NHL roster. It provided another opportunity to see what some young players could. Facing a playoff team like the Rangers, there wasn't much of note following the first 10 minutes.

The Rangers opened the scoring at 10:20 of the first and never looked back in a 4-0 decision over the Flyers at Wells Fargo Center.

The Flyers came out with good energy and opened up a 7-1 lead in shots in the first six-plus minutes of the game. That margin eventually reached 9-2 in favor of the Flyers before the Rangers ultimately took over.

At 10:20, the Rangers got the game's first goal. Kaapo Kakko was left alone in the slot and fired to beat Felix Sandstrom for his sixth goal of the season.

The Rangers got a 5-on-3 for 1:55 shortly after, but Sandstrom was solid and held the Rangers off the board. Through 20 minutes, shots were 13-10 Rangers.

The Rangers kept things going in the second. They added to the lead at 8:22 with Kakko getting his second of the game off the feed from Filip Chytil. 

Less than three minutes later, Artemi Panarin was the recipient of a backdoor pass from Jacob Trouba to bury his 22nd goal of the season to make it 3-0.

Shots and stoppages were limited in a brisk third period. The only goal came on a shorthanded empty-netter for Andrew Copp with under two minutes to play.

Alexandar Georgiev made 27 saves in the shutout win. Sandstrom made 30 saves on 33 shots in the loss.

The Flyers get back on the ice on Saturday night to take on the Buffalo Sabres on the road at 7 p.m. in the first game of a home-and-home.

Box Score

Scoring Summary

1st Period

• NYR Kaapo Kakko (6) (Barclay Goodrow, K'Andre Miller) 10:20

2nd Period

• NYR Kakko (7) (Filip Chytil) 8:22
• NYR Artemi Panarin (22) (Jacob Trouba) 11:03

3rd Period

• NYR Andrew Copp (18) SH-EN (Goodrow, Trouba) 18:07

Game Statistics