They got another fine game from James van Riemsdyk and a boost from castoff winger Nikolay Zherdev. They got a typically strong showing from goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, who, like the Rangers' Henrik Lundqvist, sparkled through 65 minutes of play with 32 saves.
But the Flyers also continued to be toothless on their power play, 0-for-4 yesterday, 0-for-10 in their last three games and 2-for-29 in their last 11. Compared to the dominant editions they produced in the first 50 games, they sometimes seemed downright somnambulant.
"It seems like we have one good shift, then two off," Hartnell said. "We could've thrown a big dagger in the Rangers' playoff hopes if we would've won. They might possibly be our first-round opponent. That gives them confidence."
Significantly, Hartnell's linemate, Ville Leino, was conspicuously absent as the contest distilled itself in the third period.
"We just shortened the bench in the third period," Flyers coach Peter Laviolette said, tersely. "Tightened things up."
Certainly, in contrast to what happened a month ago, the Flyers tightened things up in general. The Rangers flogged them, 7-0, at Madison Square Garden on March 6. As they were then, yesterday's Rangers were playing for their playoff lives. Just like last year at this time, when, also at the Wells Fargo Center, the Rangers lost a shootout in the season finale and forfeited the last playoff slot to the Flyers.
The Flyers are not playing desperately. They are playing for home-ice advantage. After slipping into second place Saturday as the surging Capitals won, the Flyers' point knotted them atop the Eastern Conference at 103 points. The Flyers hold the tiebreaker.
