Despite a loss on Sunday, the Philadelphia Flyers (36-27-9) are playing their best hockey of the season as of late. Except for the first game of seven in this gauntlet, the Flyers played up to their competition, or better, to varying results. If at all, Philadelphia is showing the NHL how they can hang with Stanley Cup contenders a season after finishing seventh in the NHL Metropolitan Division with a 31-38-13 record.
“I think we’ve been real consistent with how we’ve had to play, going through a gauntlet of the top teams, especially away from the puck. The biggest thing we’ve really tried to concentrate on was being connected in all three zones, and that has really helped us grind away.”
John Tortorella; 3/26/2024
Madison Square Garden will be the site of their third game against the New York Rangers (47-20-4) this season. The stage is similar to Saturday; the Flyers defeated the Boston Bruins for the first time since October 20th, 2021. They haven’t won against the Rangers since April 3rd, 2022. Why not now? New York is on top of the NHL, and this season, Philadelphia is known for slaying the beast.
Squaring up with a rival, the leaders of the NHL Metropolitan Division, squarely in the face, can the Flyers stomp out the Rangers in New York City?
New York Rangers
In their last five games, the Rangers are 4-1-0. They can clinch their playoff berth with a win versus Philadelphia. Peter Laviolette is prepared for the opportunity:
“We got to be ready. This will be a tough one. We already talked about it, [and] addressed it. We know what we’re getting into tomorrow night. They’re [the Philadelphia Flyers] fighting hard for those two points, that’s for sure.”
Peter Laviolette; 3/25/2024
Artemi Panarin tallied eleven points in the last five games, scoring seven goals. In a shootout win versus the Florida Panthers, Panarin tied the game twice, then scored the shootout game-winner. Panarin took seven shots, and six more were blocked by defenders. The Flyers held Panarin to two shots and no points when these teams last met.
Here’s the tentative lineup for the New York Rangers:
Panarin-Trocheck-Lafreniere
Kreider-Zibanejad-Roslovic
Cuylle-Wennberg-Brodzinski
Vesey-Goodrow-Rempe
Miller-Schneider
Jones-Fox
Scanlin-Ruhwedel
Shesterkin
(Quick)
Philadelphia Flyers
Nick Seeler and Jamie Drysdale were on the ice this morning, but they’ll join Cam Atkinson, Denis Gurianov, Nicolas Deslauriers, and Marc Staal at the opening faceoff. Sam Ersson will start between the pipes for Philadelphia.
Tyson Foerster played an incredibly responsible game versus the Panthers. Overall, the Flyers worked too hard to flub the way they did at the Wells Fargo Center to Florida. Consistent in all zones, with and without the puck, Foerster can snipe a game-winner or strip the offense of possession with his sharp defensive acumen. Foerster scored the only goal for Philadelphia when they hosted the Rangers. He was a threat on the crease in the offensive zone, prepared to tip pucks and tuck rebounds.
Here’s the tentative lineup for the Philadelphia Flyers:
Tippett-Frost-Konecny
Farabee-Laughton-Brink
Foerster-Poehling-Hathaway
Cates-Couturier-Lycksell
York-Sanheim
Ginning-Attard
Zamula-Johnson
Ersson
(Sandstrom)
Place Your Bets (via Draft Kings Sportsbook)
Philadelphia Flyers (+154)
New York Rangers (-185)
Tyson Foerster under .5pt (-145)
Artemi Panarin anytime goal (+135)
Game Information
Watch the Philadelphia Flyers visit the New York Rangers in Madison Square Garden on NBC Sports Philadelphia. Listen to the radio broadcast on 97.5 The Fanatic. The puck drops at 7pm.
(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
