Rangers top Flyers in OT, become 1st to clinch berth in Stanley Cup Playoffs

NEW YORK -- Adam Fox scored 36 seconds into overtime, and the New York Rangers became the first team to clinch a berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs this season with a 6-5 win against the Philadelphia Flyers at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday.

The Rangers (48-20-4) are also the first team to 100 points this season. They have 10 games still to play.

Fox scored with a shot from the middle of the offensive zone.

"It's huge," Fox said of clinching a playoff spot. "It's what you plan to do at the start of the year. I think that's the first step for us. Ten games here to keep sharp and keep our foot on the gas. We want to keep racking up points and get our game ready for playoffs."

Artemi Panarin had three assists to give him 102 points this season for the Rangers, who have won three games in a row and eight of 10. Vincent Trocheck had a goal and two assists, Alexis Lafreniere scored twice in the third period, Mika Zibanejad had a goal and an assist, and Igor Shesterkin made 36 saves.

The Rangers have a one-point lead on the Boston Bruins for the Presidents' Trophy as the NHL's leader in points and a three-point lead on the Carolina Hurricanes for first in the Metropolitan Division. Carolina lost 4-1 to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday.

"Based on the season we've had there's probably an assumption or expectation that at some point you're going to get in [to the playoffs] so it's not about that anymore," Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said. "It's about playing the right way, feeling good about your game as you get near the playoffs, approach the playoffs, and then you'd like to keep it consistent in the playoffs."

Scott Laughton and Travis Konecny each had a goal and an assist, and Samuel Ersson made 21 saves for the Flyers (36-27-10), who scored three game-tying goals in the third period to force overtime.

"It was a crazy third period after not a lot going on in the first 40," Flyers associate coach Brad Shaw said. "They scored some big goals. I just loved how we battled back. It was quite a roller coaster up and down, highs and lows, but the fact that we kept scratching and clawing to get back into that game and get a point. It's an awesome point."

It's a point that allows Philadelphia to stay in third place in the Metropolitan Division, one point ahead of the Washington Capitals, who defeated the Detroit Red Wings 4-3 in overtime.

"We've got nine huge games left and we're going to take them one at a time," Shaw said. "We're going to try to get the job done and play some real meaningful games in April as well."

The Flyers had a 2-0 lead on goals from Laughton at 2:58 of the second period and Ryan Poehling on the power play off a net-front redirection of Laughton's pass at 11:39.

Zibanejad's power-play goal at 15:28 cut Philadelphia's lead 2-1. He scored with a blocker-side wrist shot from the left circle.

Panarin had the primary assist, his 100th point. He had 92 points in 82 games last season, 96 in 75 games 2021-22 and 95 in 69 games 2019-20, the season that was cut short because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"About time, right," Zibanejad said jokingly. "He's been close [to 100 points]. He's an unbelievable player and he's been so big for us this year. That's a really cool accomplishment."

The Rangers and Flyers combined for seven goals in the third period, with the Rangers taking a lead three times only to have Philadelphia come back each time.

"It was a show for sure for the crowd that was here," Zibanejad said. "They enjoyed it with a win at the end."

Jonny Brodzinski scored at 1:23 off a pass from Kaapo Kakko after a turnover by Erik Johnson to tie it 2-2.

Lafreniere gave New York a 3-2 lead at 2:57, but Konecny scored to tie it 3-3 at 6:45, keeping the puck on a 2-on-1 and shooting low on Shesterkin's glove side from the right hash marks.

Trocheck scored a short-handed goal off a 2-on-1 with Zibanejad at 9:34 to give the Rangers a 4-3 lead. Owen Tippett scored 2:11 later to tie it 4-4 with 8:15 remaining.

Lafreniere made it 5-4 Rangers at 13:59 with a shot from the left circle, but the Flyers tied it again at 16:29, when Tyson Foerster found the puck in front of the goal line and shoveled it in to make it 5-5.

"We never backed down and we got a point out of it," Tippett said. "We have a confident group."

NOTES: Panarin is the seventh player in Rangers history to have a 100-point season and the first since Jaromir Jagr had 123 points in 2005-06. … Laviolette picked up his 800th NHL coaching victory. He is the seventh coach in NHL history to win at least 800 games joining Scotty Bowman (1,244), Joel Quenneville (969), Barry Trotz (914), Lindy Ruff (864), Paul Maurice (863) and Ken Hitchcock (849). He is the fourth fastest to 800 wins (1,502 games). … Fox, who also had an assist, has points in eight straight games. … The Rangers are 17-1-1 in games Lafreniere has scored a goal this season. … Konecny has 63 points, the most in his eight-season NHL career, all with Philadelphia. … Rangers defenseman Brandon Scanlin made his NHL debut, skating 10:46.