Zherdev's drought ends
Nik Zherdev's third-period score marked his first since Jan. 23. "It feels good," he said through a Russian translator. "It's important to me."
Zherdev had been a healthy scratch for 12 straight games before notching an assist in Friday's 4-2 loss at New Jersey.
"In the two games he's played, he's looked fresh," Holmgren said. "He's really worked hard, and I'm proud of him. We knew at some point that he'd come up as a pretty nice option for us to get in there."
JVR coming on
James van Riemsdyk's first-period goal, on a putback of Sean O'Donnell's slapshot, was his fifth in the last six games.
"He has been really good," coach Peter Laviolette said. "When his feet are moving, being physical, and driving the way he does, good things are happening offensively for him. That's nice to see at this time of the year."
MIA
Winger Ville Leino took just two shifts in the third period and did not hit the ice in overtime.
"That's the coach's decision," he said. "I'm OK. Obviously, I want to play, and I want to be part of a tight battle like that, but that's the coach's decision."
When Holmgren was asked if Leino was injured or benched, he said: "No, he's not hurt."
Notes
With Briere out, Jeff Carter joined Leino and Scott Hartnell on the first line. . . . Just 45 seconds into the game, O'Donnell duked it out with Brandon Prust. . . . The Rangers have allowed just one power-play goal in the last seven games. New York is 14 for 68 on the power play in its last 18 games. . . . Henrik Lundqvist is 16-10-3, with three shutouts, in 31 regular-season appearances against the Flyers. . . . The Flyers won the regular-season series, four games to two.
- Rick O'Brien
