Kaapo Kakko nets pair, Rangers bounce back with shutout win over Flyers

PHILADELPHIA — Losing to the Carolina Hurricanes in a tough game at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday may have bummed out the Rangers for a night, but fortunately for them, they were back in action Wednesday against a Flyers team that has sunk like a stone in the Metropolitan Division standings and can’t wait for the season to end.

The Rangers shrugged off a slow start and ultimately got back on the winning track, riding a strong performance from backup Alexandar Georgiev and a pair of goals from Kaapo Kakko to a 4-0 victory at Wells Fargo Center.

Georgiev made 28 saves for his second shutout this season (eighth of his career) and Kakko — playing his third game since returning from an 11-week absence because of an upper-body injury — scored his sixth and seventh goals of the season and his first since Dec. 15.

The 21-year-old Finn was asked what he thinks he needs to do to get himself into playoff condition as the regular season winds down.

“Try to play like that,’’ he said. “I think that was my best game in the last three games. So yeah, like that.’’

The Rangers pulled within two points of the Hurricanes for first place in the Metropolitan Division. The Rangers (48-21-6) have 102 points with seven games left. Carolina has 104 and one game in hand.

Finishing first in the division, though, is less of a priority for the Rangers than getting everyone primed for the playoffs. To that end, coach Gerard Gallant chose to scratch forward Alexis Lafreniere.

“It’s a long season, the kid’s [20] years old and we just wanted to try something else and give him a little break,’’ Gallant said.

The Rangers struggled to find their game for the first 10 minutes or so, but Georgiev, who has won six straight starts, was sharp and kept them in it until Kakko scored his first goal at 10:20 of the first period. Up until that point, the Rangers had been outshot 8-3.

“Georgie was excellent,’’ Gallant said. “A real strong game. He looked really solid in there, and made some real big saves for us. He was a difference in the game for sure.’’

Georgiev, who improved to 13-9-2, was asked if getting a lot of shots early in the game helps him get into rhythm.

“It helps when you save them,’’ he said with a laugh. “Yeah, I made a couple good saves and just felt comfortable from the start.’’

After Kakko’s first goal, though, the tide turned for the Rangers. Shortly after the goal, they got a five-on-three power play for a minute and 55 seconds and peppered Philadelphia goalie Felix Sandstrom (called up from the minor leagues earlier in the day on an emergency recall) with six shots during the two-man advantage.

The Rangers finished the first period by outshooting Philadelphia 9-2 over the final 9:40 and 34-28 for the game.

Kakko’s second goal, at 8:22 of the second period, made it 2-0. Center Filip Chytil, returning to the lineup after missing two games with an upper-body injury, set it up when he sent a backhand pass through traffic that found Kakko’s stick blade at the left goalpost.

“That was great pass,’’ Kakko said. “Easy tap for me.’’

Artemi Panarin made it 3-0 at 11:03 of the second when he finished a long, diagonal feed from Jacob Trouba from the left wing circle for his 22nd of the season. Andrew Copp closed the scoring with a shorthanded goal into an empty net with 1:53 left.

By Colin Stephenson

colin.stephenson@newsday.comColinSNewsday

Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.