Ovechkin (1). Wayne Gretzky had 10.4a – Number of times a team has rallied from a 0-3 playoff deficit to win a series. The last occurrence was the Kings over the Sharks during the first round in 2014.4b – Times since the conference format was introduced in `74-75 the last-place team from each side ear

PHILADELPHIA (AP) Claude Giroux capped the best season of his career in spectacular fashion.Giroux earned his first career hat trick in the regular season and the Philadelphia Flyers clinched a playoff berth in their final regular-season game with a 5-0 victory over the New York Rangers on Saturday.Giroux finished with 34 goals and 102 points. He extended his career highs in points and goals while becoming the sixth player in franchise history to reach 100 points in a season.”He was dialed in Pittsburgh Penguins Hats Authentic ,” coach Dave Hakstol said.Giroux said a key to his performance in such a crucial game was keeping his emotions in check.”When you wake up, you try to be not jacked up,” he said. ”You learn while you go through seasons. You don’t want to try to do too much.”Michael Raffl and Ivan Provorov also scored for the Flyers, who needed at least one point to make the playoffs and eliminate the Florida Panthers from postseason contention.”We had a lot of good performances tonight and that’s what it takes,” Hakstol said.The Flyers (42-26-14) are returning to the playoffs for the first time since 2016, and will be vying for their third Stanley Cup. The club won back-to-back titles in 1973-74 and 1974-75.”We have to turn the page and get excited again,” Giroux said.The Flyers’ captain scored his first two goals during Philadelphia’s dominating second period in which it outscored the Rangers 3-0 thanks in part to an 18-5 shots advantage.Giroux put the Flyers ahead 2-0 with 7:36 left in the second when his shot from the left circle got through Henrik Lundqvist’s legs after a screen by Nolan Patrick.Raffl made it a three-goal lead when he took the rebound of Radko Gudas‘ shot from the point with a turnaround shot that got past Lundqvist’s right pad with 2:07 left in the period.And Philadelphia set a club record for the quickest two goals when Giroux fired past Lundqvist’s glove side with a wrist shot from the slot just 6 seconds after Raffl’s tally to make it 4-0. Raffl set up the play by intercepting a Rangers pass at the blue line and dropping a pass to Giroux.The fans unleashed a thunderous ”M-V-P!” `’M-V-P!” chant for Giroux when he was shown on the video board after his second tally.And Giroux had the sold-out crowd of 20,028 in a frenzy when he scored his third on a breakaway with 9:49 left in the third period. Hundreds of hats littered the ice, causing a seven-minute delay, and Giroux smiled on the video board and waved to the crowd Custom Pittsburgh Penguins Jerseys , which gave him a standing ovation.”(Giroux) has worked hard,” Hakstol said. ”He earned that and he’s very deserving of that moment.”The Rangers (34-39-9), who are out of the postseason for the first time since 2009-10, ended their regular season with their ninth loss in the last 11.Lundqvist said New York needs to hit the reset button this offseason.”It’s about winning games and getting back to the playoffs,” he said. ”We need to set that goal right away. If you’re here, you’re here to make a difference. I think we can turn this around real quick.”Brian Elliott made 17 saves in his second game in goal after returning in Thursday’s 4-3 win over Carolina following a 25-game absence because of core muscle surgery on Feb. 13.Elliott was shaky in the win over the Hurricanes, allowing a pair of soft goals while making 19 saves. He didn’t have much action against the Rangers.Provorov got the Flyers on the board 6 1/2 minutes into the game when he scored on a 6-on-5 advantage as a result of a delayed penalty. Sean Couturier sent the puck toward the crease from the left of the goal, and the puck caromed off Provorov’s right shoulder and past Lundqvist. The goal stood after an officials’ review.NOTES: D Brady Skjei is the only Rangers player to appear in every game this season. Four Flyers: Couturier, Provorov, Giroux and Jakub Voracek www.officialsharks.com , accomplished the feat for Philadelphia. … Eric Lindros was the previous Flyers player to reach 100 points, with 115 in the 1995-96 season. Giroux’s other hat trick came in Game 2 of the first round of the 2012 playoffs against the Penguins. … LW Matt Beleskey, acquired in the trade that sent Rick Nash to the Bruins on Feb. 25, made his Rangers debut and C Steven Fogarty made his NHL debut for New York.UP NEXTRangers: End of regular seasonFlyers: First-round playoff series.— DENVER (AP) Pittsburgh Penguins right winger Josh Jooris wears No. 16. That happens to be the total wins necessary for the team to retain the Stanley Cup for a third straight season.There are lots of relevant numbers to be crunched heading into the playoffs, which begin Wednesday night. For instance, zero comes to mind, which is the number of expansion teams that have hoisted the Cup after starting from scratch. That’s a figure the upstart Vegas Golden Knights are aiming to update.Or Sweet 16 – the amount of teams that still have a shot at that coveted trophy. Here is a by-the-numbers glance at a postseason that will last two action-packed months. Welcome to beard-growing season:16 – Game-winning playoff goals for Toronto forward Patrick Marleau .15 – Times Claude Giroux of Philadelphia had at least two assists in a game this season. He and Blake Wheeler of Winnipeg tied for the league lead with 68.14 – Career playoff goals in 55 games for Winnipeg forward Paul Stastny , who was acquired from St. Louis in February.13 – Age of New Jersey forward Nico Hischier the last time the Devils made the postseason in 2011-12.12 – Spot where Anaheim defenseman Cam Fowler was picked in the 2010 entry draft . He’s played the third-most NHL regular season games of anyone in that draft class.11 – :45 p.m. The time Game 2 of the 1951 semifinal series between Boston and Toronto – who meet in the first round this season – was halted at 1-1. Maple Leaf Gardens needed to clear patrons by midnight because of a Toronto ordinance in effect, according to the Bruins website .10 – Postseason shutouts by Vegas goalie Marc-Andre Fleury in his career.9 – Uniform number of Artemi Panarin , who led Columbus with 82 points. No. 9 Filip Forsberg also led his Nashville team in scoring with 64 San Jose Sharks T-Shirts Authentic , and No. 9 Taylor Hall led New Jersey with 93. Cloud Nine for sure.8 – Overtime playoff goals scored by Avalanche Hall of Famer-turned-executive Joe Sakic , the most for a career. Maurice ”Rocket” Richard is next with six.7 – New teams that weren’t in the playoffs a season ago, matching the biggest year-to-year change. It includes Colorado, Los Angeles, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay, Vegas and Winnipeg.6 – Approximate length, in inches – or maybe in feet – of the impressive beard grown by Brent Burns of San Jose. The gold standard of whiskers.5.9 – Goals averaged per game this season, an increase of 7 percent from a year ago. There were 7 San Jose Sharks Hoodies Authentic ,552 regular-season goals.5 – Combined playoff hat tricks for Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby (2) and Evgeni Malkin (2), along with Washington’s Alex Ovechkin (1). Wayne Gretzky had 10.4a – Number of times a team has rallied from a 0-3 playoff deficit to win a series. The last occurrence was the Kings over the Sharks during the first round in 2014.4b – Times since the conference format was introduced in `74-75 the last-place team from each side earned a playoff spot the next season. New Jersey and Colorado had the distinction in 2017-18, joining the Red Wings/Rockies (finished last in `76-77), Bruins/Sharks (last in `96-97) and Maple Leafs/Oilers (last in `15-16).3 – Draft picks Vegas surrendered to Detroit at the trade deadline to acquire forward Tomas Tatar , who has three goals and four assists in 17 playoff games.2 – Number of Canadian teams in the postseason, which is less than California (three).1.95 – Career goals-against average for Pittsburgh’s Matt Murray in the playoffs.1a – Number of players born in France in these playoffs (Pierre-Edouard Bellemare of Vegas).1b – Number of players born in Nebraska in these playoffs (Jake Guentzel of Pittsburgh).0 – Times Minnesota and Winnipeg have faced each other in the playoffs. The two first-round foes never met in the NHL playoffs when Minnesota had the North Stars (now in Dallas) or Winnipeg had the original Jets (now in Arizona).—