Hat trick from Giroux leads way into playoffs
PHILADELPHIA » Claude Giroux capped the best season of his career in spectacular fashion.
Giroux earned his first career hat trick in the regular season and the Philadelphia Flyers clinched a playoff berth in their final regular-season game with a 5-0 victory over the New York Rangers on Saturday.
Giroux finished with 34 goals and 102 points. He extended his career highs in points and goals while becoming the sixth player in franchise history to reach 100 points in a season.
“He was dialed in,” coach Dave Hakstol said.
Giroux said a key to his performance in such a crucial game was keeping his emotions in check.
“When you wake up, you try to be not jacked up,” he said. “You learn while you go through seasons. You don’t want to try to do too much.”
Michael Raffl and Ivan Provorov also scored for the Flyers, who needed at least one point to make the playoffs and eliminate the Florida Panthers from postseason contention.
“We had a lot of good performances tonight and that’s what it takes,” Hakstol said.
The Flyers (42-26-14) are returning to the playoffs turnaround shot that got for the first time since past Lundqvist’s right pad 2016, and will be vying for with 2:07 left in the period. their third Stanley Cup. And Philadelphia set a The club won back-to-back club record for the quickest titles in 1973-74 and 197475. two goals when Giroux fired past Lundqvist’s
“We have to turn the glove side with a wrist shot page and get excited from the slot just 6 seconds again,” Giroux said. after Raffl’s tally to make
The Flyers’ captain it 4-0. scored his first two goals Raffl set up the play by during Philadelphia’s dominating intercepting a Rangers second period in pass at the blue line and which it outscored the dropping a pass to Giroux. Rangers 3-0 thanks in part The fans unleashed a to an 18-5 shots advantage. thunderous “M-V-P!” “MV-P!”
Giroux put the Flyers chant for Giroux ahead 2-0 with 7:36 left when he was shown on the in the second when his video board after his second shot from the left circle tally. got through Henrik Lundqvist’s And Giroux had the legs after a screen sold-out crowd of 20,028 by Nolan Patrick. in a frenzy when he scored
Raffl made it a threegoal his third on a breakaway lead when he took the with 9:49 left in the third rebound of Radko Gudas’ period. shot from the point with a Hundreds of hats littered the ice, causing a seven-minute delay, and Giroux smiled on the video board and waved to the crowd, which gave him a standing ovation.
“(Giroux) has worked hard,” Hakstol said. “He earned that and he’s very deserving of that moment.”
The Rangers (34-39-9), who are out of the postseason for the first time since 2009-10, ended their regular season with their ninth loss in the last 11.
Lundqvist said New York needs to hit the reset button this offseason.
“It’s about winning games and getting back to the playoffs,” he said. “We need to set that goal right away. If you’re here, you’re here to make a difference. I think we can turn this around real quick.”
Brian Elliott made 17 saves in his second game in goal after returning in Thursday’s 4-3 win over Carolina following a 25game absence because of core muscle surgery on Feb. 13.
Elliott was shaky in the win over the Hurricanes, allowing a pair of soft goals while making 19 saves. He didn’t have much action against the Rangers.
Provorov got the Flyers on the board 6½ minutes into the game when he scored on a 6-on-5 advantage as a result of a delayed penalty. Sean Couturier sent the puck toward the crease from the left of the goal, and the puck caromed off Provorov’s right shoulder and past Lundqvist. The goal stood after an officials’ review. NOTES » D Brady Skjei is the only Rangers player to appear in every game this season. Four Flyers: Couturier, Provorov, Giroux and Jakub Voracek, accomplished the feat for Philadelphia . ... Eric Lindros was the previous Flyers player to reach 100 points, with 115 in the 1995-96 season. Giroux’s other hat trick came in Game 2 of the first round of the 2012 playoffs against the Penguins . ... LW Matt Beleskey, acquired in the trade that sent Rick Nash to the Bruins on Feb. 25, made his Rangers debut and C Steven Fogarty made his NHL debut for New York.
UP NEXT
RANGERS » End of regular season FLYERS » First-round playoff series.