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Rick Tocchet’s Philadelphia Flyers (22-16-8) are home for a Saturday matinee against Mike Sullivan’s New York Rangers (20-22-6). This is the second of four meetings this season between the traditional arch-rivals.
The Flyers enter this game shackled with a five-game winless streak (0-4-1). On Thursday, Philadelphia sustained a 6-3 road loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
In a losing cause, Rodrigo Abols (3rd) scored a second period deflection goal. In the third period, with the game out of reach, Nick Seeler (2nd) and Matvei Michkov (10th) cut the final margin from 6-1 to 6-3. Samuel Ersson and Aleksei Kolosov split the game in net. Kolosov relieved Ersson at 2:06 of the second period.
In the Rangers’ last game, the Blueshirts were doubled up by the visiting Ottawa Senators, 8-4. The Rangers have lost their last four games and eight of their last 10 (2-6-2).
The Flyers are 0-0-1 against the Rangers so far this season. On December 20 at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers won by shootout, 5-4 (2-0).Philly held a 4-3 lead late in the third period until Mika Zibanejad scored a power play goal to force overtime.
Where to watch
Time and broadcast: 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN
Listen online: FlyersRadio 24/7
RAV4 keys to the game for Philadelphia: click here
In-game watch party (Maher Media): click here
Leading scorers: Flyers (through 46 games)
Trevor Zegras — 42 points (18g, 24a)
Travis Konecny — 39 points (14g, 25a)
Christian Dvorak — 29 points (10g, 19a)
Owen Tippett — 28 points (15g, 13a)
Noah Cates — 25 points (10g, 15a)
Sean Couturier — 25 points (5g, 20a)
Matvei Michkov — 24 points (10g, 14a)
Bobby Brink — 20 points (11g, 9a)
Travis Sanheim — 19 points (5, 14a)
Cam York — 19 points (3g, 16a) in 38 games
Jamie Drysdale — 18 points (3g, 15a)
Goaltender stats
Dan Vladar — 28 GP, 16-7-4, 2.46 GAA, .905 SV%
Samuel Ersson — 18 GP, 6-7-4, 3.42 GAA, .853 SV%
Aleksei Kolosov — 3 GP, 0-1-0, 2.69 GAA, .886 SV%
Injury report: Flyers
- Tyson Foerster (right arm surgery) is likely out for the rest of the season. He has a five-month estimated timetable from December.
- Dan Vladar left Wednesday’s game after the first period due to injury. He was re-evaluated on Thursday. Per Tocchet, it’s undecided if the goalie will be able to accompany the team on its upcoming road trip.
- Bobby Brink (upper body) missed the last five games but practiced in full on Sunday and Tuesday. The Flyers placed him on IR on Thursday, retroactive to Jan. 6. He skated on his own prior to Saturday’s game against the Rangers. He will accompany the team on the upcoming road trip. Per Tocchet, Brink is possible for the next game in Vegas.
- Rasmus Ristolainen (upper body) missed the last three games. He will not accompany the team on the road trip. Per Tocchet, the team still does not expect a long-term absence. Most likely, he will go on IR when Brink is activated.
Projected Flyers Lineup
The Flyers will not hold a morning skate on Thursday. The lineup below reflects Wednesday’s lineup in Buffalo.
Trevor Zegras– Christian Dvorak – Travis Konecny
Nikita Grebenkin – Sean Couturier – Owen Tippett
Matvei Michkov – Noah Cates – Denver Barkey
Carl Grundstrom – Rodrigo Abols – Garnet Hathaway
Cam York — Travis Sanheim
Emil Andrae — Jamie Drydale
Nick Seeler — Noah Juulsen
Aleksei Kolosov
[Samuel Ersson]
Scratches: Nicolas Deslauriers (healthy), Rasmus Ristolainen (upper body), Dan Vladar (undisclosed).
Flyers Opponent: New York Rangers
Leading scorers (through 48 games)
Artemi Panarin— 51 points (26g, 31a)
Mika Zibanejad — 43 points (18g, 25a)
Adam Fox — 28 points (4g, 24a) in 30 games
Vincent Trocheck — 27 points (11g, 16a)
J.T. Miller — 26 points (11g, 15a) in 39 games
Alexis Lafreniere — 26 points (10g, 16a)
Will Cuylle — 23 points (10g, 13a)
Vladislav Gavrikov — 15 points (7g, 8a)
Goaltender stats
Igor Shesterkin — 34 GP, 17-12-4, 2.45 GAA, .913 SV%
Jonathan Quick — 15 GP, 3-10-2, 3.13 GAA, .887 SV%
Spencer Martin — 2 GP, 0-0-0, 5.41 GAA, .808 SV%
Injury report: Rangers
- Igor Shesterkin (lower body) is on IR.
- Adam Fox (undisclosed) is on LTIR.
- Conor Sheary (lower body) is on LTIR.
- Adam Edstron (lower body) is on IR>
Projected lineup: Rangers
Artemi Panarin – Vincent Trocheck – Alexis Lafreniere
Gabe Perreault – Mika Zibanejad – J.T. Miller
Brennan Othmann – Noah Laba – Will Cuylle
Taylor Raddysh – Sam Carrick -Jonny Brodzinski
Vladislav Gavrikov – Braden Schneider
Matthew Robertson – Will Borden
Urho Vaakkanainen – Scott Morrow
Jonathan Quick
Spencer Martin
Let’s Go Flyers
Stick a fork in the Flyers. 30 goals against in the last 5 games. They weren’t even competitive today against a team that has already given up on the season.
Maybe the Flyers can grab some players from the Rangers for the playoff run.