Flyers at Rangers
After Steve Mason played a starring role in the last contest, the Philadelphia Flyers travel to Broadway to face the New York Rangers as the teams meet in a Sunday matinee for Game 5 of their Eastern Conference first-round series. Jakub Voracek scored a power-play goal in the second period as Philadelphia skated to a 2-1 triumph on Friday to even the set at two games apiece. Mason made 37 saves in his first start in nearly two weeks and showed no ill effects of the upper-body injury he suffered against Pittsburgh on April 12.
The Metropolitan Division rivals split the first two contests of the series in New York, with the Flyers recording a 4-2 triumph in Game 2 to snap a nine-game losing streak at Madison Square Garden. Voracek also tallied in that contest as the Flyers posted their first win in New York since a 4-2 victory on Feb. 20, 2011. Speaking of Game 2, that was the last time the Rangers scored on the power play.
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ABOUT THE FLYERS: Although coach Craig Berube didn't tip his hand with his words, the events of Saturday's practice seemed to reveal that veteran Hal Gill will replace injured defenseman Nicklas Grossmann (lower body). The 39-year-old Gill was teamed with blue-liner Mark Streit in practice and offers plenty of experience (110 career postseason games), although his lack of speed is noticeable when compared to potential replacement Erik Gustafsson. Gill, who played in just six games this season, also was paired with Streit in the final two contests of the campaign.
ABOUT THE RANGERS: New York's power play has gone cold after scoring on three of its first eight opportunities in the series. "We've been meeting about that all morning," Brad Richards said of his team failing to convert on its last 12 man advantages. "Hopefully, we'll put that on the ice (Sunday) and let that speak for itself." New York went 0-for-4 on the power play on Friday and mustered just one shot during a 4-on-3 advantage that lasted 87 seconds to bridge the second and third periods.
OVERTIME
1. Philadelphia D Luke Schenn is tied for the team lead with eight shots, after mustering just 78 in 79 regular-season contests.
2. Although LW Rick Nash has four assists in this series, he has just one goal in 16 postseason games with New York.
3. Flyers captain Claude Giroux, who guaranteed victory in Game 4, is a plus-3 with two assists in the series.