Rangers at Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers forward Wayne Simmonds has been scorching hot of late and a date with the New York Rangers isn't expected to slow him down. With six goals and three assists during his five-game point streak, Simmonds looks to send the Flyers to their fourth straight win on Saturday afternoon when they host the Metropolitan Division-rival Rangers.
Simmonds scored two goals and set up another as Philadelphia improved to 8-3-1 in its last 12 with a 6-3 win over Nashville on Thursday. The 27-year-old recorded the same line in the Flyers' 3-0 triumph over New York on Nov. 28 and also tallied in a 3-2 shootout loss to the Rangers on Jan. 16. New York's J.T. Miller is also enjoying a white-hot stretch, collecting eight goals and an assist in his last eight games - with one of each coming in a 4-2 victory over Minnesota on Thursday. The 22-year-old Miller has 16 goals in 51 contests this season, one more than he had in his first 114 NHL games.
TV: 1 p.m. ET, MSG (New York), CSN Philadelphia
ABOUT THE RANGERS (28-18-5): Defenseman Kevin Klein initially feared the worst when he jammed his thumb into the boards in Tuesday's 3-2 loss to New Jersey, but was relieved to hear positive news from the team doctors. "After the game, when the (doctors) were going through what possibly could happen, I was not happy obviously," the 31-year-old Klein told the New York Daily News on Friday. "Most of the time it goes the other way. This time it went the right way. So I'm happy with that." While Klein is expected to return on Saturday, top-line forward Rick Nash will miss the contest with a left leg bone bruise.
ABOUT THE FLYERS (23-18-8): Second-line center Sean Couturier is expected to miss the next four weeks with a lower-body injury, the team announced on Friday. "(Couturier) is a big loss to our team, but we've got a bunch of guys here that believe in what we're doing," coach Dave Hakstol told The Courier Post. "Everybody's gonna have to chip in and take a little bit of that slack. One guy's not gonna step into that role and do it all. Everybody's got to step in." Philadelphia recalled forward Nick Cousins from Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League to replace the 23-year-old Couturier, whose 24 points (nine goals, 15 assists) are fifth-best on the team.
OVERTIME
1. Philadelphia rookie D Shayne Gostisbehere has one goal and seven assists on his six-game point streak.
2. New York has struggled mightily on the road (9-13-3), as opposed to a 19-5-2 mark at Madison Square Garden.
3. Flyers LW Jakub Voracek (three goals, seven assists) and C Brayden Schenn (four goals, three assists) are both riding five-game point streaks.