Nedved scores winning goal in third period

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Game Information

Arena: Wachovia Center Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Referees: StephenWalkom Linesmen: LyleSeitz

Attendance: 19,737 (101.2% full)

Team Stat Comparison
210	Goals	211
231	Goals Against	166
55	Power Play Goals	47
73	Power Play Goals Allowed	50
8	Shorthanded Goals	8
8	Shorthanded Goals Allowed	8
1306	Penalty Minutes	1003
16	Average Penalty Minutes	12

Scoring Summary
1ST PERIOD			NYR	PHI
9:03		Claude Lapointe Unassisted	0	1
19:13		Ted Donato Assists: Anson Carter	1	1
2ND PERIOD			NYR	PHI
No scoring this period			1	1
3RD PERIOD			NYR	PHI
16:48		Petr Nedved Assists: Anson Carter	2	1

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- After not playing a game in more than a month, all Dan Blackburn needed was 15 minutes to save the New York Rangers' season.

Dan Blackburn has the world at his feet after saving the Rangers' playoff hopes for another day.

Blackburn made 28 saves in a spectacular relief effort and Petr Nedved scored the winning goal late in the third period as the New York Rangers beat the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1 Saturday.

''It really helped that I found out during intermission that I was going into the game,'' said Blackburn, who replaced goaltender Mike Dunham at the start of the second period after Dunham pulled a hamstring. ''It gave me time to get focused and get a little stretch in.''

The 15 minutes and the little stretch was all that was necessary for Blackburn, who turned away everything the Flyers sent at him.

''He has always looked good in practice,'' said Rangers coach Glen Sather. ''We have told him to make sure he is always ready, because nobody knows when the next time you are going to have to go in and perform. He stepped up and played very well for us today.''

The victory kept the Rangers' slim playoff hopes going in the Eastern Conference. They trail the Islanders by four points after New Jersey's 4-2 victory on Long Island on Saturday night.

It was only the Flyers' second defeat of the season (24-2-5-1) when leading after the first period. Philadelphia is four points behind the Devils for first place in the Atlantic Division.

Nedved scored his 25th goal when he took a shot from the top of the right circle that glanced off the butt end of goaltender Robert Esche's stick and into the net with 3:12 remaining in the third period.

''I got a little bit lucky, no question about it,'' said Nedved. ''If we wouldn't have gotten two points this afternoon, I think our playoff chances would have slowly disappeared. We knew before the game that we pretty much need to win every game for the rest of the season.''

Ted Donato also scored for the Rangers, who won their third in a row and first on the road in five games.

Anson Carter picked up assists on both Rangers goals.

''We have so much firepower on this team that in a close hockey game you can throw seven or eight different guys over the boards that can make the big play,'' Carter said.

Claude Lapointe gave the Flyers a 1-0 lead when he stripped the puck from Jamie Lundmark and banged a shot off the post past Dunham midway in the first period.

The Flyers were not impressed by New York. Esche said he felt the Flyers dominated the entire game.

''We outplayed them a lot,'' he said. ''They sure didn't look like a team fighting for a playoff spot. Either that, or we are just that much better.''

Game notes
Dunham's career best shutout streak of 144:47 was snapped on Lapointe's goal. ... Alexei Kovalev has no points in eight consecutive games for the Rangers. ... Esche started his third consecutive game in place of the injured Roman Cechmanek (groin). ... The Flyers recalled goaltender Neil Little from the AHL's Philadelphia Phantoms to replace Cechmanek. ... Jeremy Roenick, Eric Desjardins and Tony Amonte each had a five-game points streak snapped. ... The Rangers' Dan LaCouture played in his 200th NHL game. ... Forwards Simon Gagne (groin), Justin Williams (knee), Radovan Somik (back), and Todd Fedoruk (wrist) remained sidelined for the Flyers.