Rangers down Flyers - Clinch Top Spot in the East.

We did it.

The New York Rangers have clinched first place in the NHL East. They have home ice advantage for at least the first three rounds of the playoffs.

It took 80 games of an 82 game season. And it was a wild game that put us over the top. The Rangers came into Philly having won all five of the teams previous meetings - including the Winter Classic win. And the Flyers are still trying to get to 4th place and home-ice advantage against the Penguins - their likely first round opponents.

The Rangers, after a flat performance Sunday night (attended by Dave Pucks and Puck Junior) came out flying Tuesday night. They scored twice on their first 11 shots - paused to get hammered physically in a pair of fights (former Ranger Jody Shelly besting Mike Rupp in one) - and then scored twice again for an unlikely 4-0 lead. Hanks was brilliant - again - stopping everything Philly shot at him.

Then it got interesting. In the second period the Flyers tallied to make it 4-1, watched Marian Gaborik bring the dagger for a 5-1 lead in the last minute of the 2nd, and then, incredibly - the Flyers struck back at 19:53 to cut the lead to 5-2

In the third the Broadstreet Bullies got to 5-3, but could get no closer as Lundqvist held them off.

The Flyers out shot us 40-24 (and that's after we blocked 20 shots). They out hit us 39-31.

A goal and an assist for both Gaborik and McDonagh. Two assists for Richards.

Lone Ranger goals by Anisimov, Callahan, the surging Boyle.

Single assists by Feds, Dubi, Stepan - and three defensemen: Staal, Stralman, and Girardi. So with Rayn McD's night there were 4 blue liners getting points.

Henrik Lundqvist was again the difference. Despite getting outshot - te Ranger Goalie saved .925 percent of the shots he faced - winning the game for the Blueshirts.

Coach Tortorella put Dubinsky up on the Richards-Gaborik line for a while. He may just have been mad at a penatly Hagelin took.

And so - the Rangers made it a clean sweep of the ice - beating Philadelphia in all 6 of their contests this year. Goodbye Flyers and we sincerely hope to see you again in the playoffs (for a lot of reasons).

And so - with 2 games to go - here we are - on top of the East to stay.

Expect Tortorella to rest Lundqvist when the Rangers take on Pittsburgh Thursday.

And start thinking about the playoffs!!!

Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T