This Date In Flyers History...May 18
Wednesday, 05.18.2005 / 12:00 AM
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Philadelphia Flyers
PrintMay 18, 1997...Flyers Lose To NY Rangers, 5-4
On this date in 1997, the Flyers lost to the New York Rangers at the CoreStates Center, 5-4, in Game Two of the Eastern Conference Finals.
John LeClair opened the scoring in the game with a power play goal at 4:11 of the first period. Rangers defenseman Doug Lister tied the score at 1-1 with a goal almost a minute after LeClair's score (5:09).
Wayne Gretzky closed out the first-period scoring with two goals to give the Rangers a 3-1 as the teams entered the first intermission.
Second-period scores 49 seconds apart by Paul Coffey (6:45) and Rod Brind'Amour (7:34) tied the score at 3-3.
Gretzky completed his hat trick with a goal at 9:30 to give the Rangers a 4-3 lead. Mark Messier increased the Rangers' lead to two goals with a score at 13:45. The Flyers' Shjon Podein scored a goal at 15:11 to make the cut the Flyers' deficit to one goal, 5-4.
A scoreless third period gave the Rangers a 5-4 win and evened the series at one game apiece.
The announced attendance of 20,106 set a new record for the largest crowd ever to attend a Flyers game in Philadelphia.
The Flyers would win the next three games of the series to win the series, four games to one, and advance to the Stanley Cup Finals.
For the Rangers, the series was their last appearance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. They have missed the last seven postseasons.
