By Jim Cerny, newyorkrangers.com
For the first time in eight games, the Rangers scored the initial goal of a contest on Sunday afternoon, but that was not enough to overcome three unanswered goals from Philadelphia in a 4-2 loss to the Flyers at Madison Square Garden.
Despite the defeat, the Rangers still hold seventh place in the Eastern Conference with 66 points and maintain their six-point lead in a bid for a playoff spot because of Washington’s victory over Buffalo. The Flyers cotinue lead the East with 83 points, and have won all four meetings with the Blueshirts this season.
“I am frustrated for the team because I think they worked their (butts) off,” said Rangers head coach John Tortorella. “My belief in the team is getting stronger. It is about results and it is about winning, but we’re doing the right things. We just haven’t been able to do that (win games) consistently, especially the second half of the year.”
Adding to the pain of Sunday’s defeat was the fact that star winger Marian Gaborik was forced from the game due to a concussion. Gaborik informed Tortorella that he did not feel well enough to continue at the conclusion of the first period, and a concussion was later diagnosed by the team’s medical staff.
“I don’t know when it happened, and I don’t know how it happened,” said Tortorella, who added that he anticipated the need to call up a forward from the Connecticut Whale in time for the team’s upcoming road trip to Carolina and Washington this week. ....
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STAT OF THE GAME
The Rangers played an entire game without a power play for the second time this season. Meanwhile, the Flyers played a full game without committing a penalty for just the third time in their team's 44-year history.
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| (selected by newyorkrangers.com) |
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| 1. R. Callahan |
2. W. Wolski |
3. D. Stepan |
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Flyers
Rangers
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