Flyers at Rangers
The New York Rangers haven't yielded a goal to the Philadelphia Flyers in two games this season and have skated away victorious in each of the last nine meetings against their rival at Madison Square Garden. The Rangers look to extend both streaks when the Metropolitan Division foes finish their home-and-home set on Saturday afternoon. After stopping all 31 shots he faced in a 2-0 victory Philadelphia on Nov. 19, Cam Talbot made 26 saves and Martin St. Louis reached the 1,000-point plateau with a goal and an assist in New York's 3-0 triumph on Friday afternoon.
Despite Talbot's heroics, coach Alain Vigneault will send noted Flyer-killer Henrik Lundqvist (27-13-3 with four shutouts) into the crease on Saturday. On the other side of the spectrum reside the fledgling Flyers, who have lost three in a row and six of seven overall (1-6-1). "I haven't lost faith in this team, but at the same time, we're not happy," Philadelphia general manager Ron Hextall said after Friday's loss.
TV: 1 p.m. ET, CSN Philadelphia, MSG (New York)
ABOUT THE FLYERS (8-11-3): Perhaps leaving the City of Brotherly Love is a good thing for the reeling Flyers, who were jeered out of the building following Friday's lackluster performance. "We're not playing well. We're playing like (garbage)," Wayne Simmonds said. "They deserve to boo us. We deserve to get booed." Philadelphia is looking for any sign of optimism and could find it in Ray Emery, who holds a 7-2-0 mark with a 1.87 goals-against average in 10 starts versus the Rangers. Emery, however, has lost three straight decisions and permitted three goals in his last start - a 3-2 setback to Minnesota on Nov. 20.
ABOUT THE RANGERS (10-8-4): Captain Ryan McDonagh notched an assist in his return following an 11-game absence due to a separated shoulder, but Vigneault was quick to praise his defensive efforts. "Mac coming back certainly helps our back end," Vigneault said. "It's obviously going to take him a couple of games to get the execution and timing down pat, but I thought as the game wore on, he got better." Neither timing nor execution is an issue for Rick Nash, who has scored in four consecutive contests and 14-of-22 games this season.
OVERTIME
1. Philadelphia is 0-5-1 in its last six road contests and 2-7-1 on the season.
2. New York recalled C J.T. Miller from Hartford of the American Hockey League to take the place of LW Chris Kreider, who will miss Saturday's contest following the death of his grandfather.
3. The Flyers' league-worst penalty kill didn't do itself any favors, allowing an 11th power-play goal in the last eight contests on Friday.