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Claude Giroux sparks Flyers’ 4-3 win over Rangers after he returns from COVID-19 absence

Playing his first game after a 14-day quarantine because he contracted the coronavirus, Giroux had three assists for the 23rd time in his career.

The Flyers' Shayne Gostisbehere (center) celebrates his first-period goal Wednesday against the New York Rangers with Claude Giroux (left) and Erik Gustafsson. Each player had two points in the opening period.
The Flyers' Shayne Gostisbehere (center) celebrates his first-period goal Wednesday against the New York Rangers with Claude Giroux (left) and Erik Gustafsson. Each player had two points in the opening period.Read moreSTEVEN M. FALK / Staff Photographer

Since their schedule has been so spread out because of four coronavirus-caused postponements, the Flyers’ recent stretch of poor play has not been magnified.

But they entered Wednesday having quietly lost four of their last five games, and needing a win to climb back into an East Division playoff spot.

They went out and, sparked by the return of captain Claude Giroux, made that happen at the Wells Fargo Center.

Playing his first game after a 14-day quarantine because he contracted the coronavirus, Giroux had three assists for the 23rd time in his career, steering the Flyers to a much-needed 4-3 win over the New York Rangers.

Giroux, showing no ill effects of his illness, had a game-high eight shots, won 8-of-11 faceoffs (73%), played in all situations, and was plus-2 in 20:45.

“Surprised would be an understatement,” coach Alain Vigneault said about Giroux’s dominance after such a long layoff. “... My intention was not to play him as much, but you could tell early on he was on his game tonight. He had a lot of jump. He had quickness to his game and was making plays, so I used him and he didn’t seem to be fatigued at all.”

Giroux, who had just one full practice since coming off the COVID list, said he kept his shifts short.

“To be back on the ice was really exciting,” he said after playing in his first game since Feb. 7. “I wasn’t thinking much out there. I was just playing my game and having fun. This win is really big for us. The standings are really close now.”

With the victory, the Flyers (9-4-3) moved from fifth to third place in the East.

The Flyers, playing just their third game in 17 nights, had a season-high 39 shots. They entered the night averaging a league-low 23.3 shots per game.

Brian Elliott, who made his first start since Feb. 5, stopped 24 of 27 shots. The Rangers (6-8-3) had a slew of point-blank chances as the Flyers’ defense struggled to protect him.

“Every time he’s in there, he’s giving us a chance,” Giroux said.

» READ MORE: Brian Elliott started for the first time in nearly three weeks

With 16 minutes, 33 seconds left in regulation, the Rangers got to within 4-3 when Chris Kreider completed the third hat trick of his career.

After the Flyers killed a penalty, Igor Shesterkin stopped Joel Farabee on a breakaway with 8:35 left, keeping the Blueshirts within 4-3.

Elliott countered for the Flyers, denying a Mika Zibanejad on a backhander after he streaked ahead of the pack with 3:40 to go. It was the second time Elliott had denied Zibanejad on a shorthanded breakaway in the game.

Kevin Hayes, after taking a slick feed from Giroux, scored from a sharp angle to give the Flyers a 4-2 lead with 5:23 remaining in the second period. That offset Kreider’s second power-play goal of the night, which had gotten the Rangers within 3-2.

Earlier in the second, James van Riemsdyk had put the Flyers ahead as he converted Farabee’s perfect feed for his seventh power-play goal, tying him for the NHL lead. He has his seven power-play goals in 16 games; last year, he had four power-play goals in 66 games.

The Flyers scored two power-play goals in a game for the first time since Jan. 26 at New Jersey.

The Flyers got goals from defensemen Erik Gustafsson (two points) and Shayne Gostisbehere (two points) – the first tallies of the season for both players – as they took a 2-1 lead into the first intermission. Giroux, who missed the previous two games because of the COVID protocol, had assists on both goals.

Gustafsson, whose goal was his first as a Flyer, scored on a right-point blast as Carsen Twarynski appeared to screen Shesterkin with 12:12 left in the first. But the Rangers tied it less than two minutes later. Four seconds into a power play, an uncovered Kreider tapped a rebound past Elliott.

» READ MORE: Flyers’ Nolan Patrick shifted to right wing; coach says he needs to be ‘more involved’

Gostisbehere answered with 4:29 to go in the first, hustling to follow a Gustafsson shot that caromed off the end boards and scoring from the right circle. It was his first power-play goal in 29 games.

“It felt good; it was good timing, too,” Gostisbehere said. “We haven’t had that much luck on the power play and setting up plays.”

The Flyers were 1-for-13 on the power play in their last three-plus games before Gostisbehere struck.

“We’ve been harping on getting shots through, even if they hit the back of the boards and they bounce back out, we’re going down right into it. Just like my goal,” Gostisbehere said. “I think for me and Gus and G, we are just trying to get shots through, open shots, and wreak some havoc in front of the net.”

Both teams were missing key players.

The Flyers were without four players on the COVID protocol list – Travis Konecny, Scott Laughton, Oskar Lindblom, and Jake Voracek – along with defenseman Justin Braun, who just came off the list.

The Rangers were missing superstar left winger Artemi Panarin (personal reasons), right winger Kaapo Kakko (COVID), and center Filip Chytil (upper-body injury), and their top defensive pairing of Jacob Trouba (thumb) and K’Andre Miller (COVID).

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