The Rangers continued their season-long domination of the Philadelphia Flyers Saturday afternoon, skating to an impressive 5-2 victory at the Wells Fargo Center, their fifth win in five games this season agaist their Winter Classic rivals.
Ryan Callahan sparked the Rangers second five-goal outburst against the Flyers in the last six days by netting his second career Hat Trick. Two of Callahan's goals were scored on the power play, where the Rangers netted a season-high three goals on the man advantage Saturday afternoon---their best production since a three power-play goal performance against the Islanders on March 15, 2011.
Ironically Callahan's only other Hat Trick in the NHL also came against the Flyers---a four-goal effort last March the 6th.
Callahan scored goals which gave the Rangers leads of 1-0, 3-2, and 5-2 in the first, second, and third periods, respectively. He now has 21 goals on the season---the third 20+-goal season of his career---and is just two shy of equaling his single-season best of 23 set last season.
Marian Gaborik also had a big game for the Blueshirts, scoring his team-high 27th goal late in the first period while adding three assists for a season-high four-point effort. Brad Richards contributed three assists, while Derek Stepan also had a pair of helpers. The Rangers other goal was scored by Artem Anisimov in the third period.
Henrik Lundqvist earned his fifth win against the Flyers this season---and his 25th overall this year---by stopping 31 of 33 Philadelphia shots. In five starts against the Flyers this season Lundqvist has allowed a total of eight goals---and never more than two in any one game.
Stu Bickel---who played up on right wing with Ruslan Fedotenko out injured---Brian Boyle and Brandon Dubinsky handled the heavy lifting for the Rangers, engaging in separate fights during the game on Saturday.
The Rangers are right back at it with a home contest against the Washington Capitals on Sunday afternoon.
