Rangers vs Flyers

NEW YORK -- The New York Rangers advanced to the Eastern Conference Second Round with a 2-1 win in Game 7 against the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday night. The Metropolitan Division rivals were evenly matched in their first-round series, as evidenced by the fact that neither team was able to string together consecutive wins.

The Rangers won the odd-numbered games; the Flyers took the even-numbered ones. Momentum was never a factor from game to game: The Rangers' series-clinching win came 24 hours after a 5-2 loss in Philadelphia. But in the rematch at Madison Square Garden, they scored twice during a dominant second period and tightened up defensively in the third to win their fourth consecutive Game 7.

Here are five reasons why New York advanced:

NEW YORK -- Philadelphia Flyers goalie Steve Mason did all he could to bail out his team one last time in Game 7 of their Eastern Conference First Round series against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday.

His 31 saves weren't enough. The Rangers advanced to the second round with a 2-1 victory in the series finale.

The Rangers again got the best of the Flyers at 5-on-5, and New York’s offense onslaught in the second period that produced two goals on 18 shots proved just enough. If Mason's sterling performance in this series proved anything, it was that Flyers players, coaches and fans can say in  earnest that the future is bright between the pipes in Philadelphia.

In the City of Brotherly Love, where goaltending is traditionally taken to task each offseason, that's a major accomplishment.

NEW YORK -- New York Rangers coach Alain Vigneault didn't make many changes to his lineup as the Eastern Conference First Round series against the Philadelphia Flyers progressed. But the changes he did make reaped instant rewards.

The latest example was Vigneault's decision to dress Daniel Carcillo for Game 7 after the forward was a healthy scratch the previous two. Carcillo rewarded his coach by scoring in the second period and sparking the Rangers' 2-1 series-clinching win at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday.

"I just felt that in a Game 7 like this I'd rather go with experience. He had been in those situations before," Vigneault said. "He came up and did a good job and scored that first big goal for us."

PHILADELPHIA -- The scoring chances were coming fast at Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Steve Mason, and the shots were piling up in the first 20 minutes.

That's just what he wanted.

Mason made 13 saves in the first period and allowed the Flyers, despite nine giveaways, to lead 1-0 after one period en route to a 5-2 win against the New York Rangers on Tuesday in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference First Round series.

"He's done it time after time this year. They came in waves, and he made some huge saves for us," said Flyers forward Wayne Simmonds, who scored three goals. "It allowed us to get our footing under us, and we went from there. We got our offensive opportunities and we capitalized tonight. If it wasn't for Mason, I don't know if those plays would have happened."

PHILADELPHIA -- The New York Rangers find themselves in the all-too-familiar situation of needing to win a Game 7 to clinch a series in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Missed opportunities in the early going, a lifeless power play and an opposing goalie possessing ice water in his veins proved to be the demise of the Rangers on Tuesday in a 5-2 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 6 of their Eastern Conference First Round series at Wells Fargo Center.

The loss sets the stage for a Game 7 showdown between the Metropolitan Division rivals at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday (7 p.m. ET; NBCSN, RDS, TSN2, CSN-PH, MSG).

PHILADELPHIA -- There's no better way to celebrate a birthday than by eliminating a division rival from the Stanley Cup Playoffs in the midst of a hostile environment.

That's precisely what New York Rangers defenseman Dan Girardi will have in mind when his team visits Wells Fargo Center to battle the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 6 of their Eastern Conference First Round series on Tuesday (7:30 p.m. ET; NBCSN, TSN, RDS, MSG, CSN-PH).

Girardi, who turns 30 on Tuesday, hopes his team can officially close out the Flyers. The Rangers hold a 3-2 lead in the best-of-7 series.

NEW YORK -- The Philadelphia Flyers didn't give the New York Rangers much in Game 5 of their Eastern Conference First Round series at Madison Square Garden. They limited New York to 22 shots on goal, but a few defensive miscues made the difference in a 4-2 loss.

Down 3-2 in the best-of-7 series, the Flyers are one loss away from elimination. Game 6 will be played Tuesday at Wells Fargo Center (7:30 p.m. ET; TSN, MSG, CSN-PHI).

"I didn't think we gave up a whole lot. We gave up 22 shots," Flyers coach Craig Berube said. "I thought [Martin] St. Louis and [Mats] Zuccarello, they're shifty guys and quick guys. We've got to do a better job of defending them."

That team quickness made New York especially dangerous in Game 5. And when the otherwise tight Philadelphia defense made a mistake, the Rangers made it pay.

NEW YORK -- The 2013-14 season was full of ups and downs for New York Rangers forward J.T. Miller.

Consider Sunday one of his biggest ups.

Miller was added to the lineup for Game 5 of the Rangers' Eastern Conference First Round series against the Philadelphia Flyers, his first Stanley Cup Playoff game, and he responded with an assist, a plus-2 rating and one shot on goal in 10:22 of ice time.

The Rangers won 4-2 to take a 3-2 lead in the best-of-7 series. Game 6 will be Tuesday in Philadelphia. Game 7, if necessary, will be Wednesday in New York.

PHILADELPHIA -- The New York Rangers suffered a power outage Friday and paid the price in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference First Round series against the Philadelphia Flyers at Wells Fargo Center.

The Rangers were limited to five shots and no goals on four power-play opportunities in a 2-1 loss that evened this best-of-7 series 2-2. Game 5 is Sunday at Madison Square Garden (noon ET; NBC, RDS, TSN).

"The power play is about execution and you have to give them credit; they were really good on the penalty kill," Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said of the Flyers. "Our power play needs to be better. We got some good looks, but at this time in the year, you need more than good looks. You've got to get the job done."

PHILADELPHIA -- Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Nicklas Grossmann was injured early in the second period and did not return to Game 4 of the Eastern Conference First Round series against the New York Rangers at Wells Fargo Center on Friday.