The Philadelphia Flyers (7-7-2) head to Madison Sqaure Garden tonight for a divisional game against the New York Rangers (7-7-4). This is the first of four meetings with the Broadway Blueshirts and first of two at the Garden. Game time is 8:00.
Last season the teams split their four games with each team winning both of their home games. The Flyers have lost eight straight regular season games in New York getting outscored 31-9 in those games. The teams also met in a spirited playoff series last season with New York prevailing in the seventh and deciding game.
The Flyers enter tonight having lost two straight. Their inability to both stay out of the box and kill penalties has been their demise. In a span of twenty seven hours, the Flyers allowed six powerplay goals against in two games.
The Flyers will also be without captain Claude Giroux. Giroux is out with what has been described as a lower-body injury. Former first round pick Scott Laughton has been recalled from the Phantoms and is expected to play.
In order to survive Giroux's absence others will need to step up their play. Besides Jakub Voracek, who has been absolutely on fire in the early going, and Brayden Schenn, owner of a five game point streak, No one other than Giroux has been able to score lately.
Michael Del Zotto has been arguably the best blueliner this season. He has resurrected his career in the in the early going. The rest of the defense core will need to elevate their play if the Flyers are to snap the streak tonight.
The Rangers have also been struggling of late. Aside from a 5-0 blitzing of Pittsburgh last week, the Rangers have not played well. They enter tonight 2-3-4 on the month two points clear of Philadelphia in the standings.
The Rangers are led offensively buy forward Rick Nash. His twelve goals are tied for second in the league, two behind Stars forward Tyler Seguin. His nineteen points led the Rangers in scoring. Derick Brassard is also off to a good start thi year with six goals and fifteen points so far.
Henrik Lundqvist is also off to a respectable start. The Ranger netminder is 7-5-3 on the season witha 2.68 goals against average and a .910 save percentage with three shutouts. Lundqvist, however, will not get the start tonight as the Rangers have elected to play Cam Talbot instead.
Game Notes:
Power play efficiency: Flyers 24.6% (T-3rd), Rangers 15.4% (22nd)
Penalty killing efficiency: Flyers 71.2% (30th), Rangers 79.7% (18th)
Faceoff percentage: Flyers 50.2% (13th), Rangers 47.8% (25th)
Projected Flyers Lineup (subject to change)
Scratches- Giroux, L. Schenn, MacDonald, Raffl
Umberger-B. Schenn-Voracek
Read-Couturier-Simmonds
Rinaldo-Bellemare-Lecavalier
VandeVelde-Laughton-Akeson
Del Zotto-Coburn
Grossmann-Streit
Colaiacovo-Schultz
Mason
Bill Minchin is a contributing writer for Flyerdelphia. Follow Bill on Twitter @wtfd103074
