Oscar Lindberg and Chris Kreider scored 2:09 apart midway through the third period, and the New York Rangers held on to beat the Philadelphia Flyers 4-3 Sunday night for their first win at home in six weeks.
Mika Zibanejad and Brendan Smith scored in the first period, and Henrik Lundqvist stopped 20 shots to help the Rangers win at Madison Square Garden for the first time since beating Washington on Feb. 19. New York was 0-5-3 on home ice since.
The Rangers are guaranteed to fall no lower than the first wild card in the Eastern Conference. They are fourth in the Metropolitan Division, trailing third-place Columbus by six points. New York has three games remaining and Columbus has four.
Valtteri Filppula had two goals and Brayden Schenn also scored for Philadelphia, which was eliminated from postseason contention. Anthony Stolarz finished with 20 saves.
Mats Zuccarello had three assists to become the first Rangers player to have at least 44 since Marian Gaborik in 2009-10.
Leading 2-1, New York appeared to put the game away in a span halfway through the third. Lindberg scored from in front for his eighth at 7:01, and Kreider made it 4-1 with his 28th at 9:10.
However, Schenn scored with 2:06 remaining and Filppula's second of the game - and fourth in his last five games - pulled the Flyers within one 51 seconds later.
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Following a scoreless opening period, Filppula gave the Flyers a 1-0 lead with his 11th of the season just 33 seconds into the second. Philadelphia's trade deadline acquisition curled around New York defenseman Marc Staal before lifting a backhander over Lundqvist.
Zibanejad drew New York even with a power-play goal 3:24 later. The New York center fired an end-over-end shot from the top of the left circle over Stolarz's stick.
The Rangers were 1 for 4 on the man advantage and dating back to Mar. 9, are 12 for 35. New York also killed all three Philadelphia power plays.
It took just 3:13 for the Rangers to strike again as Smith's backhander over Stolarz's glove put New York ahead 2-1. The goal was his third of the season and his first since being acquired from Detroit on Feb. 28.
NOTES: Prior to the game, Flyers GM Ron Hextall said G Michal Neuvirth was "released from Pennsylvania Hospital and is at home resting," in a statement. Neuvirth collapsed in his crease and was carted off the ice on a stretcher during the first period of Philadelphia's 3-0 win over New Jersey Saturday night. "He will be reevaluated (Monday) afternoon," Hextall said. ... Flyers RW Matt Read missed his second straight game with an upper body injury. ... Philadelphia scratched D Radko Gudas, C Nick Cousins, LW Roman Lyubimov and RW Mike Vecchione. Philadelphia signed Vecchione to an entry level contract Friday after he finished his college career at Union. ... New York D Ryan McDonagh missed his second straight game with an undisclosed injury. Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said McDonagh "will come back when he's 100 percent." ... The Rangers scratched D Adam Clendening, D Steven Kampfer, LW Pavel Buchnevich and LW Matt Puempel.
UP NEXT:
Flyers: At New Jersey on Tuesday night.
Rangers: At Washington on Wednesday night.
