Three Most Pivotal Points in Flyers-Rangers History
The three points in the history of the rivalry with the greatest implications for Philadelphia include pivotal moments in the franchise’s two most recent Stanley Cup Finals appearances and a monumental turning point in hockey history.
Shootout victory spurs Flyers postseason magic
The Flyers finished the 2009-10 season by stealing the last remaining Eastern Conference playoff spot from the Rangers in a shootout in a virtual play-in game on the final day of the regular season. The Rangers played conservatively in the overtime period that afternoon, perceivably overconfident in the ability of goalie Henrik Lundqvist to shut down an opponent that had been historically futile in shootouts. A young Claude Giroux scored what would prove to be the shootout winner, and goalie Brian Boucher stopped the ensuing shot to seal a playoff birth. The victory spurred a miracle run for the eventual Eastern Conference champion Flyers.
Rangers pass the torch to Lindros, Flyers
The emergence of Eric Lindros in the mid-’90s led to a Stanley Cup Finals appearance for the team in 1997. Philadelphia took only 5 games in the Eastern Conference Finals to defeat a New York Rangers team stacked with Hall of Fame-level talent, notably Mark Messier and Brian Leetch, who had won the Cup just three years prior. Despite the glaring lack of the elusive Stanley Cup for Philadelphia in the ensuing window of opportunity, the finals appearance in 1997 led to a period of sustained success for the Flyers in the coming seasons.
Broad Street Bullies overtake the Original 6
The legitimacy of the expansion era of the NHL took a leap in the 1974 playoffs when the Philadelphia Flyers series victory over the Rangers marked the first time an expansion franchise defeated an Original 6 franchise in a playoff series. The landmark victory, which included a tone-setting beatdown from tough-guy Dave Schultz in Game 7, was the true pronouncement of the famed Broad Street Bullies on their way to the franchise’s first Stanley Cup.