After a brutal second period that saw the Flyers run over Igor Shesterkin for a two-goal lead, the Rangers finally found some fight.
Disregarding the boos at the start of the final period while also shaking off the exit of captain J.T. Miller, who skated off the ice soon after taking a hit from Flyers’ Nick Seeler with nine minutes to go in regulation, Vincent Trocheck found an answer to the Flyers’ surge with a backhanded goal — his first since Nov. 12.
Mika Zibanejad later followed with a one-time power-play goal to tie it all up, with 2:33 left in regulation following a delay of game penalty from Flyers’ Rasmus Ristolainen.
The two reinvigorated the energy inside Madison Square Garden, and the Rangers headed into the extra period without their best overtime player in Miller, who scored the OT winner in their previous game at St. Louis.
After an overtime period that saw Shesterkin stand tall across two penalty kills, the game went into a shootout, and the Rangers powered through with two goals from Artemi Panarin and Trocheck as Shesterkin denied Trevor Zegras and Travis Konecny for the thrilling 5-4 victory.
The Rangers react after defeating the Flyers in a shootout Dec. 20. Corey Sipkin for the NY Post
When asked if he had recalled having to kill two penalties in a regular season overtime, coach Mike Sullivan said, “No, and I hope it never happens again.”
“It’s huge for us,” Trocheck added following the win. “The confidence, we need that. We need to know when we’re down a couple goals, we can still make it a game and come back. It was nice to see the resilience of our team.”
It was an impressive feat after a rough start for Shesterkin and for the Rangers, who since losing Adam Fox to a shoulder injury, have given up four short-handed goals in the last six games.
Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin (31) defends the net against Philadelphia Flyers center Rodrigo Abols (18) in the second period at Madison Square Garden, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
Shesterkin revealed the renewed energy all came from a team meeting between the second and third period that discussed team “belief,” he said after the game.
“Everyone went to the rink, stepped on the ice and had that mindset,” Shesterkin said. “It meant a lot for me.”
It was what the 29-year-old goalie needed after the second period that saw Travis Sanheim open up the scoring for the Flyers with a goal from the high slot that just went past Shesterkin’s stick to tie the score.
The Rangers celebrate a goal against the Flyers. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
A mere 23 seconds later, Owen Tippett gave Philadelphia the 2-1 lead with another shot above the two circles.
It wasn’t Shesterkin’s best sequence.
“We went into the second period without a goalie,” Shesterkin said.
It only escalated from there.
Vincent Trocheck reacts after scoring in the shootout during the Rangers’ Dec. 20 win over the Flyers. Corey Sipkin for the NY Post
Panarin was later put in the box for slashing and Trevor Zegras ripped a one-timer to take a 3-1 lead.
The Rangers left wing then scored a second goal with eight minutes left to play.
Yet, after another fight broke out that saw Brennan Othmann pick a battle with Nicolas Deslauriers, the Flyers’ Rodrigo Abols knocked one to extend their lead.
Coming into Saturday, the Flyers were 0-for-16 on the power play in their past seven games.
Against the Rangers for the matinee, they were 2-for-3 in regulation.
Read the expert take on the Blueshirts
Sign up for Inside the Rangers, a weekly Sports+ exclusive.
Thank you
“It requires a certain mental toughness, just the ability to shrug things off…” Sullivan added. “We talk with the guys a lot about having a next shift mindset or next play mindset. Just staying in the moment and as long as we have that, you see what you saw in the third period. We were able to get that third goal and get it within striking distance, it gave us some energy. It gave us some life and quite honestly it gave us some confidence…Proud of them for their ability to dig in there.”