New York's win over the Blues was a goaltending-and-structure game. Dylan Garand stopped the shots that mattered and didn't give one up until Pius Suter scored with under a minute left. The penalty kill went 6-for-6 against St. Louis. Adam Fox scored from the back end, Oliver Bjorkstrand added the 2nd goal, J.T. Miller had 2 assists and Eeli Tolvanen sealed it with the empty-netter. The Blues had scored 9 goals in their previous 2 games and were held scoreless until the 3rd period.
The Flyers' problem has been keeping the puck out, not scoring it. They put up 4 on Anaheim and 3 on Columbus and lost both, gave up 5 in Washington, and Minnesota answered both Philadelphia goals in the same period it allowed them. Without Ristolainen, a team that leaks late goals is giving big minutes to a thinner defense corps, and that's the matchup Fox and the Rangers' power play will go after.
For New York, the question is whether the St. Louis win was a turning point or a one-night patch. Holding a team that had scored 9 in 2 games to 1 goal is real. But they still came into that game on a 4-game skid, and 1 tidy win against a Blues team missing Colton Parayko doesn't fix that by itself. If Garand stays sharp and the kill holds up, the Rangers get to play from in front at home.
For Philadelphia, a healthy Konecny and Tippett are the only real reason to think this season can turn. The Utah game showed what the lineup looks like when the top guys produce. The Minnesota game showed what it looks like when they don't. Two division rivals who have spent October underwater meet at the Garden, and whoever's top guys show up probably decides it.
