Home Dominance Continues For Flyers Who Inch Closer To Top Of Metro Division

The Philadelphia Flyers continued their ascension to the top of the Metro Division with a 5-2 win over the New York Rangers Friday night at the Wells Fargo Center.

Early game struggles is something the Flyers have been trying to shake all season. Tonight, it costed them the games first goal. Carter Hart would flub a glove save & Jesper Fast would tip the puck by Hart. 1-0 Rangers.

Sean Couturier would tie the game with 3:53 left in the 1st period. After Claude Giroux nearly tied the game the shift prior, Couturier would net his 20th of the season off a wonderful setup from behind the net by Jake Voracek.

The Rangers would control the beginning of the 2nd. Outshooting the Flyers 9-2 in the last half of the period. But, a questionable call on Phil Myers would change that. It would be all Flyers after the Flyers killed the penalty with ease.

James van Riemsdyk would score his 19th of the season on the rebound. Rookie Nicolas Aube-Kubel made a very veteran move and instead of shooting to score, shot for a rebound that went right to JVR for the goal. 2-1 Flyers.

Just 2:03 later, Claude Giroux would give the Flyers a 2-goal lead. After sustained pressure, Sean Couturier this time would make a beautiful pass from behind the net to find Giroux for an almost snipe. 3-1 Flyers.

Claude Giroux would get his second on the night early in the 3rd on the power-play. Travis Konecny would send a cross-ice pass to Jake Voracek, who would send it back across ice for the tap-in for Giroux. 4-1 Flyers.

Jake Voracek would get his 4th assist of the night after exiting the penalty box. Scott Laughton & Kevin Hayes would skate up ice on a 2v1. Laughton would be poked checked, but the puck went right to Voracek, who found Hayes for the one-timer and the goal. 5-1 Flyers.

The Rangers would score with  26 seconds left to make the final score 5-2 Flyers.

Carter Hart stopped 26 of the 28 shots he faced to earn his 18th win at the Wells Fargo Center this season.

Loose Pucks…

Sean Couturier became the 3rd Flyer this season to score 20 goals. Kevin Hayes got his 20th on Tuesday night and Couturier followed tonight. Both players join Travis Konecny in the 20 goal club on the Flyers. Claude Giroux & James van Riemsdyk are next in line. Both have 19 goals.

Flyers penalty kill continued its dominance as of late. Killing off all three Ranger power-plays they faced tonight. During their recent hot-streak, the Flyers are now 23 for their last 25 kills.

Another Kevin Hayes goal, and another Flyers win. What an addition Hayes has been this season for the Flyers. In the 19 games Hayes has scored in, the Flyers are 18-0-1.

The Flyers won their 5th straight game for the second time this season. Stringing wins together is something the Flyers are having no problem doing this year.

It was win #23 for the Flyers on home ice this season. The win marked the earliest time the Flyers have gotten win #23 since the 1986-87 season (March 3, 1987).

Result : FLYERS 5 – RANGERS 2 , WIN

Record : 37 – 20 – 7

Next Game : 3/1 New York Rangers, New York NY, NBC 12:30pm