Rangers take down Flyers as they take over first place

2011-12 Game No. 33; Home Game No. 15	Rangers' Record: 21-8-4
VIDEO: HIGHLIGHT OF THE GAME
• Full Highlights | Tortorella | Players Postgame		• Foxwoods Final Five | Mercedes Stars of Game

GAME RECAP Associated Press Henrik Lundqvist made 28 saves in his second win over powerful Philadelphia this season, and rookie defenseman Stu Bickel had two more assists for the Rangers, who beat the Flyers 4-2 and moved into first place in the Atlantic Division on Friday night. Bickel, in his third NHL game, helped set up goals by Derek Stepan and Ruslan Fedotenko in the second period. He has four assists since being recalled from the AHL. Marian Gaborik added his league-leading 21st goal early in the third period and Ryan Callahan also scored for the Rangers (21-8-4), who jumped over the Flyers (21-9-4) in the Atlantic with their fourth straight win. Fans chanted, "First Place!" as the final minutes ticked down. The Flyers own the NHL's best road record this season (13-4-2), but you wouldn't know it from their two trips to Madison Square Garden, where they have scored only two goals. The Rangers broke a scoreless deadlock with the first of their two deflected goals in the second period. Stepan made it 1-0 at 10:18 when he got the blade of his stick on a right-point drive by Bickel and squeezed the puck just inside the right post, past the surprised Ilya Bryzgalov. Bickel struck again 5:12 later when another shot from the right point caught the stick of Fedotenko, surged into the net off the back bar and bounded back out. • COMMENT ON BLUESHIRTS UNITED | PHOTO GALLERY

PHOTO OF THE GAME STAT OF THE GAME The Rangers improved to 16-1-1 (a .917 winning percentage) in games when scoring first. Their .917 winning percentage ranks second in the NHL, while their 16 wins are tied for second in the league. THREE STARS (selected by the local media) 1. Lundqvist 2. Bickel 3. Dubinsky

---

THE BIGGER PICTURE The Rangers team that has put together this four-game winning streak is the kind of team that wins championships. This team battles to the end, can win in any type of game, and sticks up for each other in ways that reflect a very special bond.

RANGERS LEADERS Icetime -- Del Zotto (25:47) Shots -- Dubinsky (5) Hits -- Bickel (6) Blocks -- Three players tied (3) Takeaways -- Stralman (4) Faceoffs -- Stepan (15)

NEW YORK RANGERS LINEUP VS. PHILADELPHIA
FORWARD LINES
Left Wing	Center	Right Wing
Artem Anisimov	Derek Stepan	Marian Gaborik
Carl Hagelin	Brad Richards	Ryan Callahan
Brandon Dubinsky	Brian Boyle	John Mitchell
Ruslan Fedotenko	Mike Rupp	Brandon Prust

DEFENSE PAIRINGS
Left Defense	Right Defense
Ryan McDonagh	Dan Girardi
Michael Del Zotto	Anton Stralman
Tim Erixon	Stu Bickel
Goaltenders: Henrik Lundqvist, Martin Biron Starting Lineup: Lundqvist, Del Zotto, Stralman, Dubinsky, Boyle, Mitchell.

POWER PLAY UNITS
FORWARD LINES
Left Wing	Center	Right Wing
Artem Anisimov	Derek Stepan	Marian Gaborik
Brandon Dubinsky	Brad Richards	Ryan Callahan

POINT MEN
Left Point	Right Point
Michael Del Zotto	Dan Girardi
Ryan McDonagh	Anton Stralman

PENALTY KILLING UNITS
FORWARD UNITS
Forward	Forward
Ryan Callahan	Brandon Dubinsky
Brandon Prust	Brian Boyle
Artem Anisimov	Derek Stepan
Ruslan Fedotenko	Carl Hagelin

DEFENSE PAIRINGS
Left Defense	Right Defense
Ryan McDonagh	Dan Girardi
Michael Del Zotto	Anton Stralman