win over the New York

PHILADELPHIA -- Wayne Simmonds scored three goals and Steve Mason stopped 34 shots to lead the Philadelphia Flyers to a 5-2 win over the New York Rangers on Tuesday night, forcing a decisive Game 7 of their Eastern Conference playoff series. Dan Roundfield Jersey Signed . Theres little time for rest, too. The Flyers and Rangers play again Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden. Simmonds scored in the first period and twice more in the second for his first career post-season hat trick. Mason survived a busy first period and stopping 31 straight shots until Carl Hagelin scored late in the third. Mats Zuccarello also scored for New York in the final minute. By the third, Simmonds had already helped stake the Flyers to a 4-0 lead and the outcome was a mere formality. Erik Gustafsson also scored and Claude Giroux had an empty-netter for the Flyers, who will try for a second win in New York this series. Simmonds, a 28-goal scorer who had one in the first five games, completed the hat trick with 4:41 left in the second. With a short turnaround, Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist was yanked for Cam Talbot to open the third period. Lundqvist stopped 19 of 23 shots. He couldnt stop Simmonds. Simmonds camped out in the dirty area, in front of the crease, and pounded home three short goals that had Flyers fans going wild. On the brink of elimination, about the only thing that could slow down the Flyers were their fans -- the game was delayed for a lengthy cleanup after they littered the ice with hats. Someone even threw a shoe. Outplayed for most of the series, the Flyers were lucky to escape the first period with a 1-0 lead. They were careless with the puck in their own zone and had nine turnovers, which led to a ton of work for Mason, who made 13 saves in the period. Simmonds put Philadelphia in front with his third hack at a rebound on a power play. Across the street, the rain-delayed Philadelphia Phillies rang the home run Liberty Bell in celebration of the goal. Simmonds, a 6-foot-2, 183-pound forward, was just warming up. Brayden Schenn stripped New Yorks Dan Girardi of the puck, and then lost control in front of the crease. Simmonds was perfectly positioned off to Lundqvists right side and pounded in the trickling puck for a 2-0 lead just 1:32 into the second. Simmonds again was just outside the crease to knock in his third goal late in the second for the 4-0 lead. After a sloppy first, the puck just seemed to bounce Philadelphias way. Gustafsson, who did not play the first five games, came storming out of the penalty box in the second period, his stick hit the puck in a flash and he scored for a 3-0 lead. "It was a lot of fun when I saw the puck come down to me," he said. "I think it took a fortunate bounce. I almost thought Lundqvist was going to get it, but luckily the puck went in." Mason, who had never won a post-season game until this season, was hardly challenged in the last two periods as he chased the shutout. He snared Benoit Pouliots point-blank shot in the second period and made an out-of-nowhere kick save against John Moore in the third to keep the comfortable lead. The Rangers had scored four goals in three other games this series. New York is 13-2 in series it has led 3-2, but the Rangers have lost 12 straight games in which they had a series lead. NOTES: Flyers D Nicklas Grossmann underwent surgery to repair tendon damage in his right ankle suffered in Game 4. He could miss up to 10 weeks. ... Simmonds gave the Flyers their first two-goal lead of the series since his empty-net goal in the final minute sealed the win in Game 2. ... The Flyers beat the Rangers 4-3 on May 5, 1974, in the only other time the teams played a Game 7. They went on to beat Boston to win their first Stanley Cup. Demetris Nichols Jersey Signed . - Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson sat on the scorers table at Oracle Arena on Wednesday morning. Nick Shaback Jersey Signed . Top-seeded Djokovic, who is making only his second appearance this year after reaching the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, was a 6-3, 6-3 winner over 54th-ranked Istomin of Uzbekistan. "It wasnt as easy as the scoreline indicates," said Djokovic, who has won in Dubai on four occasions.After another exciting week in the NFL, TSNs Chris Schultz offers his thoughts on the Browns quarterback situation, Jeff Fishers choice of captains for the coin toss and more. 1. All week, the Cleveland Browns were embroiled in Manziel or Hoyer and, after watching the Colts win 25-24, maybe it is time to go with Manziel. I am not much of a Johnny Football fan as he seems to have an edge of arrogance that is not earned on the field. Maybe I am wrong because sometimes arrogance is confidence just misinterpreted by those on the outside. But his money gestures I dont get. Is he saying he is money if he ever gets on the field or that he is getting money and wants everyone to know? Either way, he should stay humble and play. Pro football can humble you as fast as it can create you and trying to have a career as opposed to an experience in this sport is different. Very few actually have experienced a career. Thousands more just an experience. The bottom line with Brian Hoyer is he has trouble throwing consistently with accuracy at moving targets. I counted five times in the loss that he was clean and clear but could not deliver. With Cincinnati, Carolina and Baltimore left, it would be the ultimate in experience, much better than three exhibition games next summer. He would be playing with starters in meaningful games so at the end of the season, you know what you got. In the 2015 draft, there are three or four good quarterbacks and some serious underplayed ones that could be surprises. Brian Hoyer is good but he is not great, and probably why New England let him go. 2. The hardest position to play in modern football is defensive back on 3rd and long. Even though there are crystal clear rules on what is and what is not legal, I still look at pass interference as a judgment call. In the New England-San Diego game, you could have called Patriots corner Brandon Browner on every play the ball was thrown his way while covering Malcom Floyd for San Diego. He did get called but sometimes he did not. NFL receivers have never been better, taller and faster with longer reach and teams throw the ball more than ever. Out there on an island and in space, it is easy to call illegal contact or pass interference because there is no congestion with bodies. In one play, the game can change and it is you and the receiver and no one else. It is similar to the centre, guard or tackle that has 60 good plays and one bad one and the bad one changes the game. With a defensive back, it produces six points at the toughest position to play and play well. 3. If, and only if, Arizona wins the division, Bruce Arians should be NFL coach of the year. No Carson Palmer, no Larry Fitzgerald and no Andre Ellington and on defence, five other starters have been absent at various times. Great teams have great depth and great depth is due to exceptional scouting and coaching individual players to improve. When you look at the Chiefs and Cardinals, the Cardinals should have lost. I know luck exists but planning, preparation and responding to pressure in a moment is much more tangible. Arizona is not lucky, they just prepare to win. 4. In Baltimore, the Ravens have three games they can win: Jacksonville, at Houston and Cleveland. Blake Bortles, Ryan Fitzpatrick and probably Manziel. With Baltimore, you see Joe Flacco as relaxed and confident more now than earlier in the season. Only seven incomplete passes is outstanding and I know within the division, Roethlisburger is the most dramatic but Flacco is catching up. Four players have made a difference for Baltimore and the first is Steve Smith, who just brings a desire and emotion to a team that all teams need. Not all players can be leaders and not all can be followers but leaders are a necessity and followers a reality. Smith is the emotional leader that is not in Joe Flaccos personality. Then there first two draft picks in C.J. Mosley at middle linebacker and Timmy Jernigan at defensive tackle. When you can get two starteers in a single draft, you have done well and both are choices by Ozzie Newsome. Mark Price Jersey Signed. Suspended Haloti Ngata was not missed. And in free agency, Eugene Monroe has done well. When Jonathan Ogden retired, the likelihood of finding the next one was unrealistic. So you kinda pick and choose, try and experiment until you find the next player even close. Monroe is not the next Ogden but he is close enough. 5. There are three teams that are desperately regressing for maybe the same reasons: San Francisco, New Orleans and Washington. To me, all three head coaches have similar push, push and push some more personalities. Nothing wrong with that but its not working. Bill Belichick pushes and it works but with Jim Harbuagh, the players are not responding. Sean Payton the same. As for Jay Gruden, it is surprising because it is his first year. The worst thing he could do is not have RG3 next year. There are very few players with his potential and yes, he has gone from rookie of the year and NFC East champion to the bench, but he can get it back; just re-dedicate. 6. I am a big Jeff Fisher fan in St. Louis and after shutting out Oakland and Washington, his team is on its way. They are going to be a team no one wants to play and Arizona, New York Giants and Seattle still have to. The captains for the Redskin game were the six players they received for the RG3 trade. I dont know why or for what purpose that served in Washington with RG3 on the sidelines. I guess it was a good comparative point to be made but also insulting to the Redskin organization. Just didnt seem like the right thing to do at the right time. Jeff Fisher surprised me on that one. 7. In Denver, the Broncos beat the Bills 24-17 and Peyton Manning threw 20 passes; 20. I have never seen or heard of Manning winning a game with only 20 passes. Kyle Orton threw 57 passes for the Bills. If the Broncos can continue to have success running and not taking the risks with too many passes, then a good playoff run will happen. The Broncos have had problems with the right tackle position. Moving Manny Ramirez from centre to right tackle was an immense risk that has worked out well. And I wonder if that is a reason for running success as much as CJ Anderson and others. 8. Just like in Super Bowl XLVIII in New York City, a great defence beat a great offence as Seattle beat 24-10. Remembering that seven of the points came on the Jon Ryan mishandled 4th down snap. It is always interesting how a season changes in a short time. Now Philadelphia is tied with Dallas and plays Dallas this week but Dallas has time coming off the easy win in Chicago. Dallas had three days to get ready for Philadelphia in the first game, now they have 10. Football is the ultimate team preparation sport and Dallas will be rested and ready this week as last time, they were exhausted and not properly prepared. Best game of Week 15 should be Dallas at Philadelphia for inside track in the NFC East. 9. Opening drive; Touchdown Green Bay. Yes, they do have the best quarterback in football with the best arm, but who thought Eddie Lacy would be such a good power back? Coming out of Alabama, he was considered a risk as his dedication was questioned. Whoever thought that David Bakhtiari would develop into an above average left tackle as fourth round draft pick? And at centre, Cory Linsley was a fifth round pick. I remember Week 1 in Seattle where Linsley was the weak link at centre and looked like it. Not any more. In the first half, the Packers had 43 plays, 21 first downs and 30 points. Green Bay at home is going to be tough to beat. In the second half, you have to give credit to Atlanta for playing to win. I am not sure who is a better receiver; Jordy Nelson or Julio Jones. Both are at the top of their respective wide receiver games. Regrets for each team; Atlanta that they did not play defence at a higher level in the first half and Green Bay that they didnt play better defense in the second half. ' ' '