(Photo by Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images)

(Photo by Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images)

Well the Rangers lost another game, this time to the lowly Flyers. The Rangers wasted a solid debut from rookie Cam Talbot, who filled in for the injured Henrik Lundqvist, and only managed a single goal to a Flyers team that couldn’t buy a win. Talbot made 25 saves in his debut, but a boarding major to Benoit Pouliot and a disallowed goal from J.T. Miller eventually sealed the Rangers fate.

This wasn’t a complete disaster of a game. The shorthanded club played relatively well all things considered. A team missing a pair of All Stars and a potential quartet of Olympic players is bound to have some issues. New York had some issues scoring, that’s for sure. But on the bright side, they limited their defensive breakdowns. That’s a big positive, since that was a huge issue coming into this game.

When you’re missing three core scorers, offense will be tough to come by. The defense was fine in this game. If there’s a positive, take that.

Flyers 1, Rangers 0

Shucks.

Shucks.

This one was just a bit of bad luck. Derick Brassard was unable to handle the puck along the boards following a Brad Richards pass, and Matt Read was able to chip it past him for the break. Michael Del Zotto made the right play in taking out the passing lane, but Read was able to rip the shot past Talbot for the first goal of the game.

Rangers 1, Flyers 1

A goal is a goal is a goal.

A goal is a goal is a goal.

A bad angle shot by Richards. Steve Mason should have had this one. A bit similar to the Patrick Kane goal a few years back, right?

Flyers 2, Rangers 1

Hockey happens.

Hockey happens.

Sometimes, hockey happens. Sean Couturier won’t get much credit for the goal, but his pass to Read set this up. The initial shot from Nicklas Grossman was blocked, but Read was able to collect the puck in the high slot. Read got the puck to Brayden Coburn, who blasted it past Talbot. (Update: If you look at the coverage, you can see Stepan down low and Staal up high. That’s a coverage fail.)

I’d be remiss if I didn’t talk about the Benoit Pouliot boarding call and the Miller non-goal. Regarding Pouliot: I can see why the refs made the call. He did puck Maxime Talbot, but it was about five feet from the boards. Honestly, it looked like a hockey play with a bad end result. It is unfortunate what happened.

As for Miller, it looked like a kicking motion. It’s tough to disagree with Toronto there.

The Rangers are now 2-6 on the season with one more road game before finally coming home to New York. That game is in Detroit on Saturday. They really need a win in that game, but the shorthanded club may need to do it the old-fashioned way: Winning by a score of 1-0. Remember those days?

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