Zibanejad scores twice, Rangers defeat Flyers for 12th win in 14 games

PHILADELPHIA -- Mika Zibanejad scored two goals for the New York Rangers in a 3-1 win against the Philadelphia Flyers at Wells Fargo Center on Friday.

Chris Kreider had a goal and an assist, and Blake Wheeler had two assists for New York (14-3-1), which is 12-1-1 in its past 14 games. Igor Shesterkin made 36 saves.

"That was a really good [Metropolitan] division game," Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said. "It was almost as advertised the way we thought Philly would play. They're fast, they're tenacious, they're heavy in the battles, and I thought our guys came right out from the drop of the puck and had to play a certain way and we did. So, it was a really good win for us on the road."

Sean Couturier scored for Philadelphia (10-9-1), which went 0-for-6 on the power play and lost its second straight following a five-game winning streak. Carter Hart made 16 saves.

"I think we just got away from our structure, got away from our game plan and what has made us successful," Flyers forward Cam Atkinson said.

Zibanejad and Wheeler connected on the first of two goals 45 seconds into the game. Wheeler skated the puck up the right wing and passed through the slot to Zibanejad, who scored from the post on the left side.

Then Zibanejad finished a give-and-go with Wheeler to make it 3-0 at 7:41 of the second period. Zibanejad skated through the middle of the ice and tipped Wheeler's centering pass over Hart.

It's the seventh game Zibanejad, Wheeler and Chris Kreider have been on a line, and it's clear the chemistry is starting to form.

"They're really starting to generate some chances and that's nice to see," Laviolette said. "There's been lots of times where I think they've played good games and they've had lots of looks and they've hit posts and they could have scored goals, they could have generated and it just hasn't happened for them. It's nice to see the results go that way for them to build off of that."

Wheeler, in his first season with the Rangers after 12 with the Winnipeg Jets, said Zibanejad reminds him of two of his former Jets linemates, Bryan Little and Mark Scheifele.

"I was really fortunate for a lot of years to play with a couple of great right-handed centerman in Bryan Little and Mark Scheifele and Mika is a guy that feels a lot like 'Scheif.'" Wheeler said. "His ability to create space, his ability to lug the puck up the middle, he plays really fast, and if you get him the puck in the right areas he's going to score. For me, it feels like a guy who's kind of a perfect fit because I'm kind of always looking to make that next play and when you get him the puck, he's going to put it in the net."

The goals were Zibanejad's first in nine games, but the center hasn't been concerned by his lack of production.

"I think all the wins that we've had, the season that we've had so far, has made the personal struggle of scoring a lot easier to handle," Zibanejad said. "And it's just nice to be able to contribute and help out in a win. That's about it. As long as we win, I don't really care."

After Zibanejad scored, Kreider made it 2-0 at 1:53 after a giveaway by Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim deep in the Philadelphia zone.

"I make that play pretty well every game," Sanheim said. "I don't want to sit here and say I shouldn't make that play, that's a play that I make regularly, he just makes a good read, spins off and times it perfectly. Obviously unfortunate it ends up in the back of the net."

Couturier tipped Nick Seeler's point shot to make it 3-1 at 17:39. The Flyers had other chances to get back into the game but managed 13 shots on goal on their six man-advantage chances.

"They're a pretty good penalty kill," Sanheim said. "We had a few looks. I think we have to be more straightforward generating shots at the net. Just start outworking penalty kills like we were before."

NOTES: Laviolette coached his 1,448th NHL game, tying Dick Irvin for 10th in League history. ... The Rangers have won four straight against Philadelphia. ... New York had a goal overturned at 13:32 of the third period when a coach's challenge showed Kreider was offside before scoring short-handed. ... Zibanejad has 12 goals in his past 11 games against the Flyers, and his 18 goals in 42 games against them are the most he has scored against any NHL team. ... Zibanejad and Kreider were the first Rangers to score in the opening two minutes of a game since Ryan Callahan (0:28) and Nikolai Zherdev (1:08) against the Colorado Avalanche on Feb. 28, 2009. ... Kreider, who had an assist on Zibanejad's first goal, is the third Rangers player with two points in fewer than two minutes to open a game, joining Pete Stemkowski and Brad Park, both 1:04 in against the Atlanta Flames on Nov. 9, 1973.