MELTZER'S TAKE
1) The shorthanded Flyers generated a lot of early pressure and went right at the just-as-depleted Rangers with an aggressive forecheck, active cycle and D-men activating in the offensive zone. At 7:48, Gustafsson received a point-to-point pass from Shayne Gostisbehere and Giroux. However, at 9:32, the Flyers paid for a Sean Couturier defensive zone holding penalty four seconds earlier as New York controlled the puck and Kreider banged home a Mika Zibanejad rebound. Adam Fox got the secondary assist.
At 15:31, with Jonny Brodzinski (older brother of Flyers' collegiate prospect Bryce Brodzinski) in the box for slashing, Gostisbehere collected the end-board carom of a Gustafsson shot and fired it past Shesterkin for a 2-1 lead.
2) Overall, the first period was a strong one for the Flyers. who outshot New York by a 15-9 margin and were the hungrier team for the puck. But Philly was also guilty of two bad penalties (Couturier and Nicolas Aube-Kubel) and the PK looked shaky. A Kevin Hayes power play turnover forced Ellliott to stop a Zibanejad shorthanded breakaway backhander. The defensive play, by both teams, was sloppy and too loose in the latter stages of the period.
3) Both teams were mistake-prone in the second period and the Flyers were unable to score on a lengthy 5-on-3 (among other power play) while suffering another PK letdown. On the positive side, Philly generated plenty of offense and they extended their lead to two goals (4-2) by the second intermission.
4) Two gorgeous setups by the Flyers provided their second period goals. JVR went to the net and JVR threaded the needle right to his tape for a tap-in near the left post. After the Rangers' power play turned a Connor Bunnaman interference penalty in a tally that cut the gap to 3-2 at 8:03 -- Robert Hägg was caught flat-footed and Zibanejad found a wide open Kreider -- the Flyers restored their two-goal lead at 8:03. Giroux made an outstanding pass to Hayes, who went upstairs from a sharp angle at the bottom of the left circle.