Flyers-Rangers Gameday

With the NHL Winter Classic game looming on Friday, the Philadelphia Flyers take on the New York Rangers tonight at Madison Square Garden.  Riding their first 3-game win streak in two months, head coach Peter Laviolette stressed the importance of keeping the focus on tonights game and not on all of the hype surrounding their New Years Day game against the Boston Bruins in the Classic at Fenway Park.  As well he should.  And honestly, when was the last time that could have players and fans possibly looking past a Flyers-Rangers matchup?

These two arch-rivals need nothing to pump themselves up to play against the other.  The history is there, and yes the playoff implications are there, even this early in the year.  Just shy of hitting the seasons half way point, both teams have fallen short of pre-season expectations and have to be labeled as two of the NHL’s biggest disappointments thus far.  But both have started to turn their fortunes around.

After losing to the Islanders on December 16th, head coach John Tortorella had an epic meltdown.  His team was mired in a 1-6-2 slump and Tortorella’s expletive-laden rant after that game seems to have woken them up.  Prior to Saturdays 3-2 overtime loss to the New York Islanders, the Rangers had won four straight.  Included in that stretch was a 2-1 victory in Philadelphia on December 19th, the only meeting between these two so far this year.  Winger Marian Gaborik remains one of the most dangerous snipers in the game as he brings his league-leading 26 goals into tonights contest.  Gaborik (3 goals, 4 assists) and Ryan Callahan (2 G, 5 A) each have 7 points in their last 5 games, while center Brandon Dubinsky has 5 points (3 G, 2 A, +5) in his last 3.  Captain Chris Drury has 5 points (3 G, 2 A) in those same 5 contests.  Expect to see Henrik Lundqvist in goal for NY, as he has beaten the Flyers in their last four meetings.  And look for super pest Sean Avery to stir things up early and often.  With the recent loss of Vinny Prospal to a knee injury, Tortorella will move Christopher Higgins into Prospal’s spot on the #1 line with Gaborik and Dubinsky.

The Flyers finally have a few players on the “hot” list as their offense has emerged after a long hiatus.  Captain Mike Richards has registered 4 points (3 goals, 1 assist) in his last 3 games, and Claude Giroux has 3 assists in his last 3.  But it has been the line of Jeff Carter, Danny Briere and Scott Hartnell that has carried the team to wins in their last two, as they each racked up 3 points in those two contests.  It was imperative to mount some semblance of an offensive attack, as they had scored 2 goals or less in 10 of their previous 12 games prior to the 3-game win streak.  Michael Leighton, who was in net for the last three games, will start again tonight.

As was glaringly apparent at the end of last year when the Flyers lost home-ice advantage on the seasons final day, every point is important.  And no two teams know that better at this juncture in the season as the Flyers and the Rangers.

Taking Flyers:  Laviolette was not sure which goaltender he would start against the Bruins on New Years Day.  Brian Boucher’s lacerated ring finger is still causing him problems, as he says he is still feeling numbness.  He actually had it frozen so that he could participate in the teams practice yesterday…the Flyers had two defensemen, Oskars Bartulis (Latvia) and Ole-Kristian Tollefsen (Norway) named to their respective countries’ Olympic rosters.  Canada’s roster will be announced today at noon EST, and Team USA will be announced Friday during the Winter Classic broadcast.

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