Flyers at Rangers
Three of their first four meetings have been decided in a shootout and both teams have won twice as the New York Rangers host the Metropolitan Division-rival Philadelphia Flyers in the rubber match of the five-game season series on Sunday. The Rangers took the last meeting in a physical game on Feb. 6 and have earned at least one point in five straight contests overall (4-0-1).
New York lost captain Ryan McDonagh with a concussion in its 3-2 shootout win over the Flyers eight days ago after a punch to the head from Wayne Simmonds, who received a match penalty and game misconduct. Rangers forward Tanner Glass told the New York Post, “You just have to let (Simmonds) know that that’s not going to be tolerated. (McDonagh’s) our captain, he’s our best player. (Simmonds) can’t do that. He’ll know. He’ll know.” McDonagh is out indefinitely and Rick Nash (leg) is likely to miss his ninth straight game for New York. Philadelphia lost 2-1 in overtime to New Jersey on Saturday, but rookie defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere tallied to extend his record point streak to 11 games.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN
ABOUT THE FLYERS (24-20-10): Gostisbehere has collected three goals and 11 assists during his streak, which eclipsed the record for a rookie defenseman set in 1977-78 by Barry Beck of the Rangers. Philadelphia recalled Andrew MacDonald on Saturday to replace fellow defenseman Michael Del Zotto, who suffered an upper-body injury against New Jersey and is out indefinitely. Captain Claude Giroux notched an assist to push his team-leading point total to 46 – three more than Jakub Voracek -- while Simmonds tops the Flyers with 20 goals, including eight in his last nine contests.
ABOUT THE RANGERS (31-18-6): Henrik Lundqvist should be back in net after being rested in a 5-4 overtime loss to Los Angeles on Friday and carries a four-game winning streak into the contest. The Rangers converted their only power-play opportunity after going just 1-for-28 in their previous 10 games. Mats Zuccarello leads the team in points (41) after recording six in his last five contests and J.T. Miller has registered eight goals in 12 games, a stretch that began with one against the Flyers in a victory on Jan. 16.
OVERTIME
1. New York D Keith Yandle scored the late game-tying goal in the win over the Flyers last week and has reached 30 points for the eighth straight season.
2. Philadelphia G Michal Neuvirth was activated to start against New Jersey, which could mean Steve Mason gets the nod on Sunday.
3. Rangers C Derek Stepan posted his fourth multi-point performance of the season Friday with a goal and an assist.