Travis Konecny scores twice in Philadelphia's 3-1 win over the Rangers

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Travis Konecny scored a pair of goals, Ivan Fedotov made 22 saves, and the Philadelphia Flyers defeated the New York Rangers 3-1 on Friday.

Konecny slid a puck through the legs of Rangers' goalie Igor Shesterkin on a breakaway in the first period, to put Philadelphia up by two. He added an empty netter in the final minute.

Bobby Brink also scored for Philadelphia, who has registered at least one point in four straight games.

Vincent Trocheck scored for New York, which has lost five straight.

Shesterkin made 32 saves in the loss and kept the Rangers in the game despite most of the game being played in their defensive zone.

Rangers: New York hit rock bottom on their recent skid in the first period, not getting a shot on goal until 11:11 of the period and being outshot by the Flyers 15-4 and trailing 2-0. They have allowed nine goals in the first period in the last six games.

Flyers: Philadelphia has clawed its way back from a slow start to the season to climb above .500 for the first time since opening night. They've done it with a focus on consistent defense.

With two minutes to play, Fedotov made a sprawling left pad save to stop Mika Zibanejad from a slam-dunk goal that would have tied it.

18 - The number of points Konecny has registered for the Flyers in the last 12 games. He has seven goals and 11 assists and has registered at least one point in 11 of the 12 games.

The Rangers begin a five-game homestand against Montreal on Saturday, while Philadelphia travels to St. Louis.

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New York Rangers' Sam Carrick, right, and Philadelphia Flyers' Helge Grans collide during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

New York Rangers' Mika Zibanejad, right, tries to get past Philadelphia Flyers' Rasmus Ristolainen during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

New York Rangers' Igor Shesterkin (31) blocks a shot by Philadelphia Flyers' Tyson Foerster (71) as Ryan Lindgren (55)looks on during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Philadelphia Flyers' Ryan Poehling, right, and New York Rangers' Ryan Lindgren battle for the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Philadelphia Flyers' Ivan Fedotov (82) blocks a shot by New York Rangers' Brett Berard (65) during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

New York Rangers' Sam Carrick, left, passes around Philadelphia Flyers' Scott Laughton during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

New York Rangers' Ryan Lindgren, top, collides with Philadelphia Flyers' Matvei Michkov during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

New York Rangers' Jimmy Vesey, left, and Philadelphia Flyers' Ivan Fedotov battle for the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

New York Rangers' Adam Edstrom, left, and Philadelphia Flyers' Cam York battle for the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Philadelphia Flyers' Bobby Brink, center, celebrates with Tyson Foerster, right, and Helge Grans after scoring a goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Rangers, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are looking to make a run at their fourth straight NFC South championship.

Former offensive coordinator Dave Canales stands in the way.

The Buccaneers (5-6) trail the Atlanta Falcons by one game in the NFL's weakest division entering Sunday’s showdown with the Carolina Panthers (3-8), who hired Canales away from Tampa Bay as head coach after he helped resurrect Mayfield’s career last season.

“Dave, being the optimist bully that he is, just always ‘the sun is going to shine again’ and has that belief in the next play,” Mayfield said. “It was weird. It was rare that you see a coach that actually embodied that ‘next play is the most important one’ we’re-never-out-of-the-fight type mentality. He took that literal, day to day, so it was a different kind of energy than I think anybody had been around but it was good for everybody."

The Buccaneers are coming off a 30-7 rout of the New York Giants and now have star wide receiver Mike Evans back on the field, which will help the passing game. The Bucs lost their other top wide receiver, Chris Godwin, to a season-ending dislocated left ankle earlier this year.

Mayfield, who played for the Panthers in 2022 before being released midseason, led the Bucs to a series sweep of Carolina last year.

The Panthers hired Canales in part to develop young QB Bryce Young.

He benched Young two weeks into the season but the 2023 No. 1 NFL pick regained the starting job after veteran Andy Dalton went down with a thumb injury and has played much better since. The Panthers won back-to-back games and last Sunday took the two-time Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs to the wire before losing 30-27.

Canales still hasn't committed to Young as the team's long-term solution at quarterback, but has been encouraged by his progress in recent weeks.

“Just the progress that we’re looking for as he continues to earn these moments, then, yeah, he’ll be in there,” Canales said. “And that’s what I’ve been most excited about is, is that there’s weekly growth that’s happening. And so, we’re just taking it a week at a time. I know that’s been my language, but he’s really taking responsibility for it and pushing us that way.

“And so, the bottom line is, he’s giving us a chance to win.”

The Bucs statistically have faced the most difficult schedule in the NFL entering Week 13, with eight of 11 the games they’ve played featuring opponents currently sporting a winning record.

Last week, however, began a seven-week stretch in which Tampa Bay will only play one game (at Los Angeles Chargers) against a team currently sitting above .500. The Bucs will face the Panthers (3-8) twice over that span.

While the Giants' win created some momentum, players say they aren’t making any assumptions about this week or beyond.

“Now, we’ve just got to build on it,” Mayfield said, reiterating the single-game approach it will take to be successful down the stretch.

There are no moral victories in the NFL, but Carolina’s last-second close loss to the Chiefs has clearly helped a young team’s confidence after battling back from 11 points down in the fourth quarter to tie the game.

“Guys are starting to buy into what coach Canales has brought to this team,” Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen said. “There is a standard that is being set and guys know we are never out of it. Guys know that if they keep pushing and keep fighting we are never out of it.”

One of the reasons the Bucs are optimistic about their chances of reaching the playoffs for a fifth straight season is the emergence of a productive running game.

Tampa Bay has rushed for 100-plus yards in eight of 11 games this year after only doing it nine times in 32 games over the past two seasons. At 128.1 yards per game, the Bucs are 10th in the league in rushing after finishing last in 2022 and 2023.

The Panthers have relied heavily on rookie pass catchers this season, but will be without both tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders and Jalen Coker on Sunday because of injuries.

Sanders was emerging as a solid weapon in the passing game for the Panthers, and his injury leaves the Panthers without much of a receiving threat at tight end. That means Young could look more to running back Chuba Hubbard and rookie Jonathon Brooks as outlets on passing plays.

The team's other rookie wide receiver, Xavier Legette, continues to be a contributor of offense, and has played particularly well at home.

The Panthers are looking to avoid their seventh straight losing season with a defeat. Carolina has not been to the playoffs since David Tepper purchased the team from founder Jerry Richardson in 2018.

AP Sports Writer Fred Goodall contributed to this report.

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Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard (30) leaves the field after an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans warms up before an NFL football game against the New York Giants Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Rich Schultz)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) celebrates his touchdown run against the New York Giants during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Rich Schultz)

Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales reacts to play against the Kansas City Chiefs during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman)