East QF Game 4 Preview: Flyers host Rangers in do-or-die game

Mark Streit scored the lone Flyers goal in Game 3. The Rangers and Flyers face-off in Game 4 on Friday night at 7 p.m. (Photo by Amy Irvin/38Photography)

Game 4 is always a crucial turning point, especially in a series like this. For the Flyers, this game is do or die, especially with Game 5 at Madison Square Garden looming.

The Rangers have a chance to put a strangehold on this series. Welcome to the must-win game of the series.

The puck drops on Game 4 tonight from Wells Fargo Center at 7 p.m.

It’s evident the Rangers have played a better series to this point with a 2-1 series lead entering the crucial Game 4.

In three games, Martin St. Louis has five points, including two goals. Brad Richards and Rick Nash also have four points each. Of their combined eight points, seven are assists.

Derek Stepan also has two goals in the series. Only two Rangers players have minus ratings through three games. Ryan McDonagh, who leads the team in ice time per game averaging 24:54, is minus-3 while Dan Girardi is minus-1. 

Henrik Lundqvist comes into Game 4 with a 1.67 GAA ad .930 save percentage.

The Flyers are still looking to get the top line going. Jake Voracek, Wayne Simmonds and Jason Akeson remain the only Flyers forwards with goals in the series. Andrew MacDonald, Luke Schenn and Mark Streit have the other three Flyers goals.

The top line of Voracek, Claude Giroux and Scott Hartnell are the only three players with more than one point in the series, each with two.

After getting a brief amount of playing time in Game 3, Steve Mason makes his first playoff start in the series.

Game Notes 

• Power Play: Flyers (6^th, T-15^th at home), Rangers (8^th, T-12^th on road)
• Penalty Kill: Flyers (9^th, T-1^st at home), Rangers (11^th, T-1^st on road)
• In Game 3, the Flyers missed a total of 48 shots – 20 missed, 28 blocked – in addition to taking 32. The Rangers took 23 shots on goal in Game 3. 

Flyers scratches: Steve Downie, Erik Gustafsson, Hal Gill, Jay Rosehill 

Flyers Projected Lineup 

Line 1: Scott Hartnell-Claude Giroux-Jake Voracek
Line 2: Brayden Schenn-Vincent Lecavalier-Wayne Simmonds
Line 3: Matt Read-Sean Couturier-Jason Akeson
Line 4: Zac Rinaldo-Adam Hall-Michael Raffl 

D-Pair 1: Kimmo Timonen-Braydon Coburn
D-Pair 2: Nick Grossmann-Mark Streit
D-Pair 3: Andrew MacDonald-Luke Schenn 

Goalie: Steve Mason

Where to Watch
TV: CSN/CNBC
Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic

Kevin Durso is the lead beat writer for Flyerdelphia. Follow him on twitter @KDursoPhilsNet.