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Straka's hat trick helps end Flyers' winning streak

Jan 5, 2007 - 6:27 AM NEW YORK (Ticker) -- The Philadelphia Flyers were as high as they have been all season. Martin Straka grounded them in a hurry.

Straka recorded his sixth career hat trick and Henrik Lundqvist made 22 saves as the New York Rangers ended the Flyers' season-high three-game winning streak with a 3-2 triumph.

Following a franchise-worst 10-game skid, the Flyers looked to be turning things around. But Straka proved to be a one-man show for the Rangers, who themselves have won three straight after dropping seven in a row.

Just 4:15 into the game, Straka gave New York a 1-0 lead with his 19th goal of the season. The Czech doubled the advantage 5 1/2 minutes into the second period before completing his first hat trick of the campaign at 6:54 of the third.

"Sometimes you play the same way the whole year and the puck goes in and sometimes it doesn't," Straka said. "When you have the confidence, you have a little bit more luck. That's the difference, I guess."

"Marty has been really good lately, and today he was outstanding," Lundqvist said. "He scored some really big goals."

Brendan Shanahan recorded an assist on Straka's first goal for his 1,275th career point, passing Al MacInnis for 30th place on the all-time list.

"He deserved it," Straka said. "He's an unbelievable guy."

Lundqvist was busiest in the final session, turning aside 13 shots despite allowing tallies by Eric Meloche and former Ranger Mike York.

"I think it starts in the defensive zone, how we forecheck," Lundqvist said of his team's effort over the first two periods. "I was kind of prepared for a low-shot game."

Jaromir Jagr extended his home points streak to seven games with an assist for New York, which improved to 3-1-0 against Philadelphia this season.

Robert Esche made 26 saves for the Flyers, who fell to 3-10-2 vs. Atlantic Division opponents.

"Eschie was solid again," Philadelphia coach John Stevens said. "His play has been very consistent. If it were not for him, we would have been down by more than one there late with a chance to tie the game. He might have been our best player tonight."

"Other than Esche, who gave us a great opportunity to win the game late, we didn't play well at all," York added. "And it's kind of surprising, too, coming off the three wins."

From the left corner, Michael Nylander completed a pass to Straka, who beat Esche from the doorstep less than five minutes into the game. The veteran center made it 20 at 5:29 of the middle session, scoring from the left faceoff circle after defenseman Michal Rozsival's shot from the opposite circle was blocked.

"Marty skates well and finds the openings, and good things happened with and without the puck," Nylander said.

Philadelphia halved the deficit on Meloche's power-play goal at 4:03 of the third, but Straka restored New York's two-goal bulge 2:51 later by sliding in a backhander on a breakaway.

"I kind of intercepted the pass and then a breakaway," Straka said. "I tried to deke him and I was lucky enough to put it in."

A mistake by Lundqvist allowed the Flyers to close the gap with 22 seconds remaining. Attempting to fire the puck the length of the ice into an empty net, the Swede shot it right into York, who had a clear path for his seventh goal of the season and first with Philadelphia.

"He was trying to score and I was just in the middle of the ice," York said. "He went to shoot up the middle and it hit me in the chest and it bounced on my stick."