Steve Mason Makes 34 Saves In Flyers’ 2-0 Win Over Rangers

Steve Mason stopped 34 shots for his 31st career shutout and first of the season to help lead the Philadelphia Flyers to a 2-0 road victory over the New York Rangers on Wednesday night.

Steve Mason Makes 34 Saves In Flyers’ 2-0 Win Over Rangers

Wayne Simmonds and Jakub Voracek scored 3:36 apart in the third period to give Philadelphia the win, which marked Mason’s first shutout since March 5, 2016. He has played 40 games this season.

The Flyers (24-19-6) have now won back-to-back games for the first time since they won 10 straight from Nov. 29-Dec. 14.

“It’s been a tough stretch the last month or so mentally I think for everybody,” Mason said. “We’ve had two games here the last couple days, on the road against two quality hockey clubs, and to be able to come away with four points is definitely something to build off.”

Henrik Lundqvist made 24 saves for the Rangers (31-17-1), who snapped a three-game winning streak. New York was 0-for-3 on the power play and is 0-for-14 in its last four games.

“There’s no doubt that our power play struggled a little bit,” Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said. “We had a lot of opportunities. Our 5-on-5 play was good. “It’s the type of game where you feel you deserve more, but there’s some games like this.”

Philadelphia opened scoring with a power-play goal at 6:09 of the third, just 34 seconds after the Rangers’ Matt Puempel was sent off for tripping. Voracek fired a shot from the right that was blocked by Lundqvist. Brayden Schenn poked the puck, but it went to Simmonds, who backhanded it in for his 20th goal.

Voraceck doubled the lead as he knocked the puck off Rangers right wing Michael Grabner’s right skate, left skate and off the left goalpost and in for his 14th at 9:45. The Flyers allowed one shot on goal the rest of the game.

“It kind of reminded me the way we were playing with that 10-game winning streak,” Voracek said. “We were confident that we were going to find a way to win the game, and we did.”

Mason made 16 saves in the first period, including on Rick Nash’s one-timer from the right circle off the rush. He also denied Grabner, who was alone in the slot, with a right-pad save at 18:47 of the first period. He then stopped Grabner on the rebound.

Grabner hit the crossbar on a breakaway at 7:25 of the first.

Mason won his 94th game with the Flyers, third behind Ron Hextall (240) and Bernie Parent (232). Simmonds reached 20 goals for the fourth consecutive season.

The Flyers next host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday, while the Rangers will host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday.

NEW YORK, NY – JANUARY 25: Steve Mason #35 of the Philadelphia Flyers makes a save against the New York Rangers during their game at Madison Square Garden on January 25, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

Article by Pablo Mena