Rangers snap three-game losing streak as Talbot blanks Flyers

Wednesday night the Rangers, who had just five wins in 13 home games in a decidedly average season so far, wore white road jerseys at Madison Square Garden against the Philadelphia Flyers.

The decision wasn't theirs though; the Flyers wanted to wear their Winter Classic orange duds.

Nonetheless, the Rangers found their game, regardless of color.

They played like a different team, controlling and managing the puck, and were clearly the more dominant group in a 2-0 win that snapped the Rangers' three-game losing streak.

"The first two periods we barely gave them five or six chances and we generated close to 20," coach Alain Vigneault said.

Goals by defenseman Kevin Klein and Rick Nash nudged the Rangers over .500 at 8-7-4, and backup goalie Cam Talbot made 31 saves, including numerous key ones in the third when the Rangers were outshot 13-7, for his first win of the season.

"It's a little difficult knowing that I hadn't really contributed too much to the team this year," Talbot said. "My first three starts we only got one point out of six . . . We did a really great job of supporting the puck in our end, limited odd-man opportunities in our zone."

Derek Stepan said: "[Talbot] was probably our best player. It's something that I know he's been working really hard at."

For the Blueshirts, it was their ninth consecutive regular-season win over the Flyers at the Garden. It was a vastly different effort than in the 5-1 loss to Tampa Bay on Monday. The Rangers had 32 of their 34 shots on Steve Mason with five minutes remaining; they had 16 all night against the Lightning.

The 4-2 loss to the Flyers in Game 2 of last season's first-round playoff series remains the only defeat at the hands of the Philadelphia at the Garden in the teams' last 13 games.

With the Rangers up 1-0, Nash scored his 13th goal on a nifty, tape-to-tape setup from Derick Brassard to Martin St. Louis, who found Nash alone on the left side on a power play at 7:43 of the second. It was the Rangers' third power-play goal in the last 12 opportunities.

Things had started well, with Klein scoring his fourth goal, tying a career high, just 5:10 in as Carl Hagelin won a battle at the right post to feed Klein between the circles.

"It's very encouraging for everyone," St. Louis said. "We had the puck a lot and we made poised plays coming out [of the zone] so we were able to skate with it and get our defensemen involved."

In the first, Mason denied all of the Rangers' other 12 shots, including Dom Moore's early wraparound, St. Louis' backhander and two on a power play. The Flyers are last in the NHL on the penalty kill, with a 71.2-percent success rate.

Talbot, who notched his fourth career shutout, made his first start in goal since Nov. 8 in Toronto, a 5-4 loss. At one point, the Rangers held an 11-4 edge in shots, but the next two power plays went to the Flyers, and Talbot made a right kick save on Wayne Simmonds while Matt Hunwick was in the box for delay of game at 14:41. He also stopped Vincent Lecavalier on a breakaway in the second, followed by a Simmonds' rebound shot in front.