Zibanejad has 3 goals, 3 assists in Rangers’ rout of Flyers

PHILADELPHIA — Mika Zibanejad had three goals and three assists, Adam Fox had five assists and the New York Rangers routed the Philadelphia Flyers 8-3 on Thursday night.

Pavel Buchnevich added two goals, and Ryan Strome, Kā€™Andre Miller and Filip Chytil also scored as the Rangers won their third straight and fifth in their last seven games.

Claude Giroux, Kevin Hayes and Sean Couturier scored for the slumping Flyers, who have lost four in a row and 10 of 14.

The teams were meeting eight days after the Rangersā€™ 9-0 home win over the Flyers, and New York continued where it left off at the outset of this one.

The Rangers scored three straight goals in the opening period then notched two power-play goals in the opening 2:06 of the second to chase goalie Carter Hart, who allowed five goals on 10 shots. They scored another goal 36 seconds later on their first shot against Brian Elliott.

Eleven shots, six goals and a 15-0 goal run over two games.

Ryan Strome had three assists for the Rangers, who were led by acting coach Kris Knoblauch for the fifth straight game. Igor Shesterkin made 41 saves.

Zibanejad scored his first with 6:24 left in the first on a deflection of Foxā€™s slap shot from the point to make it 3-0. His second 54 seconds into the second period on the power play was a one-timer after a cross-ice pass from Fox, and he got his third 1:12 later on a slap shot from the slot.

That was the end of the day for the slumping Hart, who has allowed 16 goals over a three-game skid.

Miller scored on a wrister from the blue line that appeared to go off defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere on the first shot on Elliott.

Zibanejad got his sixth point with his third assist on Buchnevichā€™s short-handed goal 33 seconds into the third.

Strome extended his points streak to seven straight games with his 11th goal of the season 8:01 into the contest to give New York a 1-0 lead, finishing a beautiful pass from Artemi Panarin with a one-timer just to the left of Hart. Strome has two goals and 10 assists during his streak.

HOME-ICE DISADVANTAGE

The Flyers have lost six of seven contests since fans returned to their home building. They were 6-4 without fans in attendance.

COACHING CAROUSEL

New York welcomed back assistants Jacques Martin and Greg Brown, both of whom had been out due to COVID-19 protocols. Head coach David Quinn remained sidelined for the same reason.

UP NEXT

Rangers: At Flyers Saturday.

Flyers: Host Rangers Saturday.


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