RANGERS 5, FLYERS 3: Defenseman Ryan McDonagh scored for the first time in 25 games during a four-goal first period as visiting New York clinched the Atlantic Division and the top seed in the Eastern Conference by completing a season sweep of Philadelphia.
Captain Ryan Callahan, Marian Gaborik and Artem Anisimov netted power-play goals, Brian Boyle also tallied and Henrik Lundqvist secured his career-high 39th win as the Rangers finished their first sweep of the Flyers since the 1971-72 season.
New York, which clinched the Eastern Conference for the first time since its 1993-94 Stanley Cup-winning campaign, remained tied with Vancouver in the race for the Presidents' Trophy. The Rangers hold the tiebreaker over the Canucks, who beat Anaheim 5-4 in a shootout Tuesday.
Wayne Simmonds netted his sixth goal in five games and Claude Giroux notched three assists for Philadelphia, which fell three points behind fourth-place Pittsburgh. The Penguins posted a 5-3 win over Boston on Tuesday.
The Rangers greeted Ilya Bryzgalov rudely in his return from a three-game absence due to a chip fracture in his right foot.
McDonagh opened the scoring 6:25 into the first period after converting Gaborik's centering feed on the doorstep for his seventh goal - and first since Feb 14.
Boyle doubled the advantage five minutes later by cleaning up a rebound for his fourth goal in seven games. Anisimov and Callahan tallied 1:36 apart late in the session to silence the crowd at Wells Fargo Center.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Lundqvist, who turned aside 37 shots, improved to 22-10-3 versus the Flyers. ... Gaborik has six goals and four assists on his six-game point streak. He is one tally shy of his career high of 42. ... The Rangers have scored at least a pair of power-play goals in three of their last four games. ... Jakub Voracek netted his third goal in two contests and defenseman Andreas Lilja added his first of the season for the Flyers.
NY Rangers | Philadelphia | |
Marian Gaborik 2 | Points | Claude Giroux 3 |
Marian Gaborik 1 | Goals | Jakub Voracek 1 |
Brad Richards 2 | Assists | Claude Giroux 3 |
Marian Gaborik 1 | Power Play Goals | Wayne Simmonds 1 |
N/A | Short Handed Goals | N/A |
Henrik Lundqvist .925 | Save Percentage | Ilya Bryzgalov .792 |
Henrik Lundqvist 37 | Saves | Ilya Bryzgalov 19 |
Team | Shots | Goals | Power Play | Penalty Kill | Penalty Mins | Face Offs Won |
NY Rangers | 24 | 5 | 3-6 | 7-8 | 28 | 29 |
Philadelphia | 40 | 3 | 1-8 | 3-6 | 24 | 27 |