Rangers shut out Flyers, gain ground in Metropolitan Division race

PHILADELPHIA -- The New York Rangers moved within two points of first place in the Metropolitan Division with a 4-0 win against the Philadelphia Flyers at Wells Fargo Center on Wednesday.

Alexandar Georgiev made 28 saves, and Kaapo Kakko scored two goals for the Rangers (48-21-6), who trail the Carolina Hurricanes. Barclay Goodrow and Jacob Trouba each had two assists.
New York lost 4-2 to Carolina on Tuesday.
"'Georgie' was excellent, real strong game," Rangers coach Gerard Gallant said. "He looked really solid in there and made some real big saves for us. He was the difference in the game for sure."

Felix Sandstrom made 30 saves for the Flyers (23-40-11), who lost 9-2 at the Washington Capitals on Tuesday. He was playing his second NHL game, having been recalled from Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League earlier Wednesday.
"I thought we had a good start," Philadelphia forward Scott Laughton said. "Some pretty good pace and then obviously we had a couple lapses. It happened in the Washington game a little bit more. We had a couple lapses and gave a couple of their guys some looks. ... Thought we were better than last night, but when you don't get results it is frustrating."

Kakko gave the Rangers a 1-0 lead at 10:20 of the first period with his first goal since Dec. 15. He took a drop pass from Goodrow and beat Sandstrom low past his glove.
Kakko made it 2-0 at 8:22 of the second period when he scored from the left post.
Kakko, who played his third game since missing 31 because of an upper-body injury, said his strength and energy are getting better each game.
"He was excellent, drove the net," Gallant said. "The line [with Filip Chytil and Goodrow] was excellent. They made some real good plays and they played the way they're supposed to play. They created some good offense down low, and I thought they were the most consistent line on line for us."

Kakko and Chytil have played together in the past, and Kakko said it's easy recreating their chemistry.
"He's a good player also and a great skater," Kakko said. "I think that's good for me. I try to find him all the time. He's got some speed. So that's how we can get more time in the [offensive] zone."
Artemi Panarin extended the lead to 3-0 at 11:03 from the left side of the net when he one-timed Trouba's shot from the right point.
Andrew Copp scored a shorthanded goal into an empty net for the 4-0 final at 18:07 of the third period.
"I think that game probably has a different turn if we score the first goal," Flyers coach Mike Yeo said. "We worked hard and that's great. We have to be able to win games when the other team scores first too. I think the effort was there, I think the focus was there, the desire for the guys to really step up and win was there. We did some things that weren't good enough to get the win but can't fault the effort."
NOTES: Georgiev has eight NHL shutouts; three have come in eight games against the Flyers. He also has won six straight starts. Georgiev and Igor Shesterkin (seven games, Dec. 31-Jan. 24) are the first Rangers goalies to each win at least six straight starts in the same season. ... Chytil had an assist in 13:17 of ice time after missing two games because of an upper-body injury. ... Copp has six points (three goals, three assists) during a six-game point streak. … New York forward Alexis Lafreniere was a healthy scratch to rest. Gallant said he'd play in the next game, against the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday. … Sandstrom made 43 saves in a 3-2 overtime loss at the San Jose Sharks on Dec. 30 in his NHL debut. ... The Flyers were without six injured regulars: forwards Cam Atkinson (lower body), Patrick Brown (upper body) and Nate Thompson (lower body), defensemen Cam York (lower body) and Rasmus Ristolainen (upper body), and goalie Carter Hart (lower body). ... Philadelphia has 40 regulation losses for the second time; it was 22-48-12 in 2006-07. ... Flyers forward Tanner Laczynski, recalled from Lehigh Valley on Wednesday, played 9:17 and had three hits in his season debut.