It’s no surprise that Mika Zibanejad and the Rangers made some history in beating the Flyers 9-0. After that staggering loss, the Flyers could only say so much. It translated to seeing multiple different forms of the word “embarrassed.”
Catch up on the Rangers’ 9-0 thrashing of the Flyers in Marisa Ingemi’s recap, along with the extended highlights above.
In this post, we’ll look at some of the history from the Rangers’ 9-0 win (Zibanejad is prominently involved), and also consider how the Flyers reached to this. Did we mention they’re embarrassed?
Zibanejad and more: Stats from Rangers’ 9-0 win over Flyers
No doubt, you can put together a Mika Zibanejad sub-category to the Rangers’ 9-0 win over the Flyers.
The most impressive one is that Zibanejad joined Bryan Trottier as the only NHL players to score six points during a single period. The NHL burrowed a little deeper to provide an extra level of insight:
While Mika Zibanejad became only the second player in NHL history with a six-point period, how did it stack up to Bryan Trottier's performance? #NHLStats has your answer. pic.twitter.com/xXVWbAofO4
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) March 18, 2021
(Interesting that Zibanejad created his 6-point flurry in a slightly smaller window during a single period.)
[PHT discussed Flyers’ trade deadline approach recently; More from NBC Sports Philadelphia]
As part of his six points, Zibanejad generated a natural hat trick.
There’s some history in that specific segment of that stunning outburst. Via the Rangers:
- Zibanejad became the first Rangers player to generate a natural hat trick with an even-strength, shorthanded, and power-play goal.
- The Rangers also note that Zibanejad is the 15th player to do so in NHL history, with Milan Michalek being the last to do so before him (March 2012).
Yes, it’s also rare for the Rangers to score nine goals through just two periods.
The @NYRangers became the eighth team in the last 25 years to score at least nine goals through the first two periods of a game. #NHLStats pic.twitter.com/EGZM8n1M2o
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) March 18, 2021
Things slowed down during the third period. If the Rangers kept going, maybe they would have matched or exceeded the worst shutout loss in Flyers’ history?
Only worst loss in Flyers history was getting shut out 12-0
— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) March 18, 2021
52 years ago https://t.co/D7Uo0hHFWL
Reactions from Giroux, Vigneault, and more
As you can see, Alain Vigneault said that the Flyers “got truly embarrassed” by the Rangers in that 9-0 loss. Vigneault only had so much to say, but one of his comments might raise an eyebrow or two.
"Question of pride, question of leadership and move on from there."
— Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) March 18, 2021
- Alain Vigneault on the vibe in locker room at second intermission heading into third period
When you’re facing questions after such a mammoth loss, you don’t have many options beyond trying to find a positive spin. To Claude Giroux’s credit, he made a good point. The Flyers turn around and play a game on Thursday, giving them a chance to quickly erase these memories. The less-good-news is that the Islanders face an Islanders team that’s been red-hot, and masters of structure.
This was a game when almost every member of the Flyers absorbed some of the embarrassment. Both Carter Hart and Brian Elliott allowed goals. Their defense left both of them out to dry. Obviously, no one could score to at least avoid a shutout, either.
Maybe most disturbingly, this is an extreme example of a larger trend of Philly fumbles. No doubt, this is a low point; it already was when the score was 8-0.
The Flyers have given up 4 hat tricks this season in 27 games.
— Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) March 18, 2021
They gave up 1 all of last season in 69 games.
It's 8-0 Rangers before the third period.
It's the most goals the Flyers have allowed in the Alain Vigneault era.
A loss like this, even falling 9-0 to the Rangers, does not slam the door shut on this season for the Flyers. Still, as a team hoping to unseat one of the Bruins, Penguins, Capitals, or Islanders for one of the East’s four playoff spots, nights like these don’t inspire great hope about their chances.
(The Rangers are most likely out of the running, but if they can bottle some of this, they could at least be an upset threat down the stretch.)
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James O’Brien is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @cyclelikesedins.