Rangers score 3 in first period and cruise past Flyers, 4

Riding a three-goal first period, the Rangers beat the Flyers, 4-1, Sunday night at Madison Square Garden to extend their best stretch of the season to 8-2-1. They suddenly find themselves tied for second with Washington in the Metropolitan Division.

Yes, there are 35 games to play, but after the Rangers' 2-6 start and first-half stumbles, the transformation under coach Alain Vigneault and his staff appears to have been successful. The pace is up-tempo, the power play is clicking, Henrik Lundqvist has found his game and the defense is clearing the zone with confidence.

Against the Flyers (23-19-4), the spark for the Rangers (24-20-3) came early, with goals from Daniel Carcillo and Rick Nash in a 28-second span 2:42 into the game. Carcillo's was a tuck-in against Ray Emery for his first goal as a Ranger; Nash scored for the fourth time in four games.

Meanwhile, Lundqvist (37 saves), who won his third straight start, was getting tested by the Flyers. He made five stops, several through traffic, when Dan Girardi went off for interference at 6:20 and finished the first period with 17 saves and a 3-0 lead.

Derick Brassard's one-time laser over Emery's glove -- on a pass from a falling Mats Zuccarello, who swept the puck to the left circle for the blast -- provided the three-goal cushion at 9:24.

Chris Kreider, who set up Nash's goal, gave the Rangers a 4-0 lead, breaking the Flyers' streak of killing 26 straight penalties with a slow-motion move. Brad Richards kept the puck in at the blue line and Kreider moved in from the left corner, stickhandled around the crease and buried a backhander for his team-leading 12th goal at 13:18 of the second.

Richards extended his point streak to five games. The Rangers have scored at least one power-play goal in five straight games.

Brassard, who has been productive on the power play but not five-on-five, had an authoritative game at even strength, something that Vigneault had been seeking.

'I expect more from him five- on-five as far as generating offensive opportunities and being very responsible defensively,' Vigneault said before the game. 'For some reason, on the power play, I don't know if it's the extra room, the extra time, he has been, I wouldn't say the quarterback, but he's moving the puck and finding the open people.'

Lundqvist finally allowed a goal at 6:49 of the third on a power play, as Mark Streit one-timed a shot from the point and beat the screened goalie.

In addition to his goal, Carcillo, who was obtained from the Kings on Jan. 4, was involved in some extracurricular activities in the second period.

Brassard was dumped by Scott Hartnell, and while he was down, he got some extra shoves from Wayne Simmonds. Hartnell was called for roughing and Carcillo barked at Simmonds from his seat near the red line while the Flyers forward returned to his bench. Carcillo later dropped the gloves with Luke Schenn at 7:05, battling gamely but losing the decision.

But it wasn't over. A scrum broke out with 11 seconds left, with the Rangers' John Moore fighting Brayden Schenn. Simmonds and Luke Schenn picked up 10-minute misconducts, as did Carcillo and Brian Boyle.

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