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Rangers Keep Playoff Hopes Alive, Beat Flyers 4-3
New York, NY (Sports Network) - Marian Gaborik notched the game-winner late in the second period, as the New York Rangers stayed alive in the race for a playoff berth with a 4-3 victory over Philadelphia in the opener of a crucial home-and-home set from Madison Square Garden.
Chris Drury, Jody Shelley and Brandon Dubinsky also tallied for the Rangers, who have won five of their last six and tied the Flyers for the eighth and final playoff berth in the Eastern Conference with 86 points.
Henrik Lundqvist stopped 24-of-27 shots in the win for New York, which also moved within a point of idle Boston and Montreal, who are tied for sixth place in the conference.
Mike Richards scored twice, and Danny Briere tallied once for the Flyers, who stumbled to their third loss in five games and could have wrapped up a playoff spot with a victory.
Brian Boucher struggled in defeat, yielding all four goals on 25 shots.
These clubs will finish the regular season in Philadelphia on Sunday afternoon.
Richards had a New York defender draped all over his back but managed to slip a backhander by Lundqvist for a 3-3 tie at 14:41 of the second period, but Gaborik put the Rangers ahead to stay on a fluke tally.
Philly defender Chris Pronger lost control of the puck in the neutral zone on the left side, and Gaborik swooped in, skated ahead of a pair of Flyers checkers, and launched a bouncing puck over Boucher's shoulder at 16:54 for a 4-3 contest.
Lundqvist stopped all 10 shots he faced in the third period to preserve the lead, none bigger than a quick right-pad stop on a turnaround backhander from Pronger in the final four minutes.
Boucher went to the bench for an extra skater with 1:26 to play, but the visitors couldn’t net an equalizer despite heavy pressure.
Richards put the Flyers ahead just 40 seconds in, knocking down an errant Rangers clear and ripping a wrister home from the slot.
Drury evened the game by converting an Erik Christensen pass at the left post for a power-play score at 7:22, and Shelley tipped home a shot at 10:13 to take a one-goal lead.
Dubinsky put the Blueshirts up by two at 6:58 of the second period, but Briere's rising slapshot off a Simon Gagne dish pulled Philly within 3-2 at 8:26.
The Rangers lead the season series, 3-2-0...Shelley's last goal came on March 28, 2009...Richards reached the 30-goal plateau for the second straight season...Flyers forward Jeff Carter returned to the lineup after missing eight games with a fractured foot that was repaired with surgery...Gaborik's winner was his 42nd goal of the season, tying his career best originally set with Minnesota in 2007-08.
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