As Philadelphia sports fans, there are some things that you are just in tune with and know are given. For example, it is never not funny when the Dallas Cowboys lose. Any turmoil that involves the New York Mets or Boston Celtics will make you smile. And, over the last few years, the Flyers can't seem to beat the New York Rangers.
Last night, the boys of Broadway reminded us of this. Despite starting the game with a lead, the Rangers pounded the Flyers into submission, running up the score to a 6-1 victory. The Flyers could've used this game as a win, as they were climbing up the standings with a six-point game streak, and New York has struggled mightily this season.
Owen Tippett, who is finally starting to come on (two goals and two assists in the last five games), started things off after just a minute in. He was racing down the ice with Travis Konecny. Konecny fired off a shot that was blocked by Igor Shesterkin. Tippett grabbed the rebound and put it in. Morgan Frost also assisted on Tippett's goal.
That'll quiet the crowd. #PHIvsNYR | #LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/CkYBiSrBa2
— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) January 24, 2025
The goal, coming so soon, acted like a punch in the face to the Rangers. A little over seven minutes later, Braden Schneider would tie it up. That would be followed just 84 seconds later by a goal by Adam Edstrom. Still, at the end of the first period, being down by one goal, anything was possible.
Defender K'Andre Miller scored the lone goal in the second period. And in the third period, the Rangers exploded. Filip Chytil scored his 11th on the year just five minutes into the period. With time running out and on the power play, a Flyers turnover allowed Adam Fox to score shorthanded against an empty net as John Tortorella desperately tried to jump-start something offensively. Reilly Smith would cap off the game with a power play goal with less than two minutes to go.
Sam Ersson, who was so sharp the previous night against the Red Wings, fell apart against the Rangers. Although to be fair, his defense allowed a flurry of chances against him. He stopped 31 of 36 shots. The 36 shots he faced were the most he's faced since he faced 33 against the Ducks in Anaheim just after Christmas. In comparison, Shesterkin had come off of back-to-back shutouts as the Rangers were trying to save their season.
After the game, coach John Tortorella said this about both goalies:
""Give them credit, they got some opportune goals on tip-ins and some wristers in there. Their goalie plays well and they win the game. I thought we developed a lot of offense; we couldn't solve their goalie, I'm certainly not blaming Ers, because some of the goals on Ers, there was nothing he could do about. Give them credit, they got some goals that they deflected in, we tried to crawl back in it and I thought their goalie stood tall.""
Look for the Flyers to rest Ersson tonight. Philly travels to Long Island tonight to play the Islanders at 7:30.