PHILADELPHIA — A day after general manager Chris Drury informed fans in a letter about the team’s upcoming “retool,” the New York Rangers showcased a performance that suggested they may not require one.
Mika Zibanejad became the Rangers’ all-time leader in power-play goals with a three-goal outing that equaled the franchise record for most career hat tricks, contributing to New York’s 6-3 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday.
The 32-year-old Swede netted a power-play goal at 5:38 of the second period, bringing his total to 117 and surpassing both Camille Henry and Chris Kreider, each of whom recorded 116 for the team.
Zibanejad’s first goal at 7:26 in the first period put the Rangers ahead permanently at 2-1, while he completed his hat trick with another goal at 8:25 of the second, tying Bill Cook with nine career hat tricks in Rangers history.
Artemi Panarin contributed two goals and an assist, with Brennan Othmann also finding the net, as the Rangers ended a five-game losing streak. Their last victory had come on January 2 against Florida, and they had suffered losses in eight of their last nine games. J.T. Miller, Alexis Lafreniere, and Vincent Trocheck each provided two assists, while Spencer Martin made 25 saves to secure his first victory of the season.
Rangers coach Mike Sullivan celebrated his 500th coaching win. Sullivan, a two-time Stanley Cup champion during his decade-long tenure with the Penguins, left Pittsburgh after three consecutive playoff misses and was brought on by New York in May following Peter Laviolette’s dismissal.
“I don’t think four or five months ago this is where we thought we’d be,” Miller stated. “But that being said, we’ve got a job to do. And we need to start moving forward towards the next chapter.”
Prior to sending the letter on Friday, Drury had discussions with the team’s leadership, individual players, and held a one-on-one with Panarin. Sources described these meetings as “extremely candid.”
Entering the weekend, the Rangers had the fewest points in the Eastern Conference and a goal differential of minus-21. They aim to be proactive in trading players ahead of the March 6 deadline.
“If changes are coming, then let’s maximize our time as a group with the current roster,” Zibanejad remarked.
On the Flyers’ side, Travis Konecny, Travis Sanheim, and Trevor Zegras each recorded a goal and an assist, as the Flyers suffered their sixth consecutive loss. Samuel Ersson made 22 saves in the defeat.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
