Rick Nash scored twice in the third period Tuesday night, as the Rangers beat the Philadelphia Flyers, continuing a win streak that makes last week’s unnerving losing skid feel like old news.

Nash was sidelined for four straight games starting on Feb. 19 when the Rangers lost to Montreal, in the first of what would be four losses in a row. Nash returned to the lineup last Thursday against the Tampa Bay Lightning, scoring a goal in a resounding 4-1 win.

Nash’s injury is widely believed to have been a concussion following a rough hit sustained in Boston Feb. 12, though the Rangers organization kept reporters and fans alike in the dark regarding his status. The veteran right-winger scored again Sunday against the Buffalo Sabres, and added a goal in the shootout, to secure another victory for New York.

Nash’s two goals last night compounded a solid effort from the Rangers, built on the back of a double tally from Captain Ryan Callahan in the first period. Callahan scored in the second minute of the game on a power play, assisted by Derek Stepan and Marian Gaborik, the former of whom has quietly had a breakout campaign.

Wayne Simmonds and Jakub Voracek scored power play goals for the Flyers in quick succession before Callahan equalized with a beautiful solo goal with just 41 seconds left in the period. Callahan received the puck below the blue line on the left side, and proceeded to deke around a sliding Kimmo Timmonen, before emerging from beneath the goal line to slam the puck on the far side of netminder Ilya Bryzgalov’s goal.

A goalless second period was followed by a third which most observers will remember for Nash’s heroics. At just under three minutes gone, Nash sped up the right boards and rifled a shot just underneath Bryzgalov’s blocker. With nine minutes to go, Nash received a feed from Stepan, shrugged off a hook from Timmonen, and skillfully evaded Bryzgalov’s poke-check to backhand into an empty net. Nash celebrated emphatically, enjoying what is probably his first marquee moment in Madison Square Garden.

The shine of the victory and it’s place in a reassuring win streak was somewhat marred by the sight of assistant captain defenseman Marc Staal taking a puck to the face and writhing in agony on the ice. Staal left the ice on his own steam, but the swelling above his eye has made any initial diagnosis impossible. A prolonged absence from the Ranger’s defensive core could blight the current run of form, and severely hamper New York fans’ hopes for a deep playoff run.

Brad Richards was also absent due to soreness after a hit from Buffalo’s Patrick Kaleta on Sunday. Kaleta has been suspended five games for the hit by the league. Richards has struggled this season, though seemed to be experiencing a revival in the last few games.

If the knocks to Richards and Staal prove minor, then New York can look forward to a revived Rangers team that is finally showing signs of being precisely what they had hoped for.