Flyers at Rangers
The New York Rangers' previous attempt to match their season-high four-game winning streak was summarily dismissed by the Philadelphia Flyers, courtesy of a 4-0 romp in November. After falling to Philadelphia once again last month, the Rangers hope the third time is the charm on Tuesday as they host the matchup between the Metropolitan Division rivals.
New York's Mika Zibanejad, who leads the team in assists (27) and points (44), joined Hall-of-Famer Rod Gilbert as the lone members of the franchise to score the game-winning goal in three straight contests. The 25-year-old Swede has recorded five tallies and four assists during his five-game point streak, although he has yet to dent the scoresheet in two meetings with the Flyers. While the Rangers prepare to begin a stretch of playing seven straight contests in the New York Metropolitan area, Philadelphia hit the ground running on Monday as it opened a string of three games in four nights with a 3-1 home victory over Winnipeg. Travis Konecny, who collected a goal and two assists in the first matchup against the Rangers, notched one of each against the Jets as the Flyers won their season-high fourth straight contest.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network, Sportsnet, MSG (New York)
ABOUT THE FLYERS (20-23-6): Philadelphia's hot streak notwithstanding, general manager Chuck Fletcher told reporters that the team expects to have a plan in place regarding soon-to-be unrestricted free agent Wayne Simmonds in the coming weeks. The 30-year-old Simmonds, who has registered four points (two goals, two assists) over his last four games and scored in the Flyers' 3-2 shootout win over New York on Dec. 23, is in the final season of a six-year deal worth an annual average of $3.97 million. Fletcher did toss the label of "untouchable" in the direction of captain Claude Giroux, who notched three of his club-leading assists (38) and points (52) in the first encounter with the Rangers.
ABOUT THE RANGERS (21-20-7): Kevin Hayes hardly could contain himself as he prepares to return to the ice on Tuesday, and thus end a nine-game absence due to an upper-body injury. The 26-year-old Hayes initially sustained the injury while crashing into the boards during a 4-3 overtime loss against Arizona on Dec. 14, however he remained in the lineup for two additional contests following a career-best nine-game point streak. Chris Kreider (team-leading 22 goals) has scored two goals and set up three others in his last four games and also tallied in the meeting with the Flyers in December.
OVERTIME
1. Philadelphia LW James van Riemsdyk has recorded seven goals and nine points in his last six games after mustering just six and 13, respectively, in his previous 26.
2. Newsday reported that Rangers C Mats Zuccarello, who has collected four goals and five assists during his five-game point streak, will sit out Tuesday's contest against the Flyers with a foot injury.
3. Philadelphia has won just one of its last nine games involving back-to-back situations.