NEW YORK (AP) — Chris Kreider scored on a breakaway at 4:07 of overtime and Igor Shesterkin made 19 saves as the New York Rangers won their third straight game Tuesday night with a 1-0 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers.
Philadelphia netminder Carter Hart had stopped all 35 shots he faced before Kreider deposited a backhand behind him after taking a pass from Mika Zibanejad, sending the Madison Square Garden crowd into a frenzy. Hart made five saves in overtime before Kreider scored his fourth goal of the season.
The Flyers began the third period on a power play after defenseman Ryan Lindgren was assessed an extra two-minute roughing penalty after a scrum behind the Rangers net to conclude the second, but Philadelphia could not covert.
The Rangers had two power plays in the third – including one at 15:25 when former New York defenseman Tony DeAngelo was called for delay of game – but also failed to score.
After a scoreless first in which the Rangers held a 9-7 shots advantage, the home team dominated the second but couldn’t solve Hart.
The 24-year-old Hart, who entered with a 5-0-1 record, stopped long shots from Rangers defensemen K’Andre Miller and Jacob Trouba early in the second, then turned away two one-timers by Zibanejad during a Rangers power play.
Zibanejad also hit the post behind Hart 12 minutes into the second before Kreider had a short-handed breakaway later in the middle period and his shot struck the post flush to Hart’s short side.
The Rangers outshot the Flyers 14-4 in the second.
Hart continued to vex the Rangers in the third, making a sharp pad save on a point-blank shot by Artemi Panarin 13 minutes into the stanza and a glove stop on Kreider at 14:52.
Shesterkin was also sharp, denying former Ranger Kevin Hayes from in front at 18:49 of the third.
The Rangers are 7-2-2 in their last 11 games against the Flyers. Last season, New York went 3-0-1 against Philadelphia.
MILESTONE MAN
Philadelphia defenseman Justin Braun played his 800th career game. The 35-year-old blueliner, who skated in eight games and 19 playoff contests for the Rangers last season, rejoined the Flyers as a free agent in July. He has 197 points in 13 seasons with the Sharks, Rangers and Flyers.
NOTES: The visit to Madison Square Garden was the only one this season for the Flyers. The teams meet Dec. 17 and March 1 in Philadelphia. … The Rangers were without injured forwards Filip Chytil and Vitali Kravtsov. They scratched defenseman Libor Hajek. … The Flyers were missing injured forwards James van Riemsdyk, Sean Couturier, Cam Atkinson and Patrick Brown. Philadelphia also scratched center Tanner Laczynski and defenseman Egor Zamula.
UP NEXT
Flyers: Visit the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday.
Rangers: Host the Boston Bruins on Thursday night.
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