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Ranger McDonagh hurt after sucker-punch from Wayne Simmonds

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PHILADELPHIA – The Rangers were livid that captain Ryan McDonagh had to leave Saturday afternoon’s game against the Flyers with a likely head injury after being sucker-punched by Philadelphia right wing Wayne Simmonds, who was then ejected.

But there was a still a game to play, and they fought back to force a third shootout in four meetings with the Flyers, pulling out a 3-2 win on Mats Zuccarello’s filthy juke and Derek Stepan’s roofed wrister. The Rangers improved to 2-1-1 this season against the Flyers.

The Rangers reached overtime on a dramatic Keith Yandle slap shot goal, top shelf, off assists from Jesper Fast and Dan Boyle with 12.9 seconds remaining in regulation and Henrik Lundqvist pulled from his net for the extra attacker. Yandle also was wheeling and dealing a bit in OT, perhaps benefitting GM Jeff Gorton as a showcase of sorts for a potential deadline trade of the pending unrestricted free agent.

The Blueshirts thought they had least forced overtime earlier, when Chris Kreider tipped home Dan Girardi’s shot off Mats Zuccarello’s secondary assist 3:16 into the third to make it 1-1. But Lundqvist for the second time in a week immediately gave up a terribly bad goal short side.

Philadelphia grinder Ryan White’s second goal of the night, in fact – at 5:46 of the third short side after a Zuccarello giveaway in the neutral zone – was the Flyers’ only shot of the third period. The Rangers put 11 on Steve Mason.

Wayne Simmonds of the Flyers is escorted off the ice after match penalty for hit on Ryan McDonagh. Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images

Wayne Simmonds of the Flyers is escorted off the ice after match penalty for hit on Ryan McDonagh.

Enlarge McDonagh went down in a heap after being sucker-punched by Simmonds.  Jared Silber/NHLI via Getty Images

McDonagh went down in a heap after being sucker-punched by Simmonds. 

Enlarge

Wayne Simmonds of the Flyers is escorted off the ice after match penalty for sucker-punch on Ryan McDonagh.

Just 10:36 into the match, McDonagh made a pass from the left defensive boards across ice and out of his own zone. Simmonds approached to finish a check, and McDonagh tried to protect himself by lifting his stick but ended up cross-checking Simmonds in the back of the helmet. He also slashed Simmonds as they jostled, and McDonagh was penalized for both.

Simmonds, though, reacted by turning and sucker-punching McDonagh in the right cheek with his gloved left-hand. McDonagh went down in a heap as teammate Kevin Klein pulled Simmonds away, but the damage was done.

Simmonds received a five-minute major and a match penalty and threw his stick across the ice when the officials kicked him out. McDonagh received the double-minor, and Oscar Lindberg served the second penalty in the box with McDonagh gone to the locker room.

The Rangers were already upset with Simmonds’ sucker punch, but then Alain Vigneault lost his mind all over again at the end of the Rangers’ unsuccessful power play: The Flyers had forgotten to put a player in the penalty box, with Simmonds having been sent off.

Matt Read of the Flyers and Oscar Lindberg are unlikely combatants in Saturday's game.Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images

Matt Read of the Flyers and Oscar Lindberg are unlikely combatants in Saturday’s game.

Illegally, during the flow of play, forward Jake Voracek just jumped off Philly’s bench as the power play expired and was sprung on a breakaway. Lundqvist made the save but the Rangers were flabbergasted at the officials’ lack of control or apparent knowledge of the rule book, which would require the Flyers in that situation to wait until a whistle to put their fifth man back on the ice.

Dave Lewis and Kelly Sutherland were the referees for Saturday afternoon’s game.

Simmonds had appeared to be aggravated already by a clean Chris Kreider shoulder check early in the first. Kreider’s follow-through seemed to end with his right glove in Simmonds’ chin. Simmonds dropped to the ice in front of his bench and went off gingerly but the officials did not react at all.

The game was so chippy and physical that two players who never fight dropped the gloves in the second: Rangers rookie Oscar Lindberg and Flyers forward Matt Read.

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