Final
Flyers-Rangers Preview
Mar 13, 2010 - 11:36 PM By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO STATS WriterPhiladelphia (35-27-4) at New York (30-29-9), 3:00 p.m. EDT
If the Philadelphia Flyers were looking for momentum heading into a four-game road trip, they certainly found some. A visit to Madison Square Garden may keep them rolling.
The Flyers will try to avoid a letdown Sunday afternoon and take advantage of a meeting with the New York Rangers, one of the worst home teams in the NHL.
Philadelphia (36-27-4) appeared to be headed to a second consecutive loss Saturday, but got a goal from Scott Hartnell with 2:04 left before Chris Pronger found the net with 2.1 seconds remaining to clinch a 3-2 win over Central Division-leading Chicago. The victory concluded a 3-1-0 homestand and improved the Flyers to 8-2-1 in their last 11 overall.
"You don't see (coach Peter Laviolette smile too often)," said left wing Simon Gagne, who scored his sixth goal in seven games Saturday. "It was pretty funny when we scored. We all hugged each other and the bench fell on the coaches. Maybe that's why he was laughing.
"Everybody was pretty happy to get the two points. We didn't like the way we were playing lately. Hopefully, this game will put us on the right track."
The Flyers are in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race with a seven-point advantage on the ninth-place Rangers (30-29-9) with 15 games left. That season-ending stretch includes nine games on the road, where they're 15-15-2 after losing eight of 13.
Philadelphia has won two of three against the Rangers, winning 6-0 at MSG on Dec. 30 behind Gagne's hat trick and 22 saves from Michael Leighton. The Flyers blanked New York at home 2-0 on Jan. 21.
Gagne has 16 goals in 20 road games against the Rangers, helping the Flyers win 13 of them.
Leighton is also looking for another strong effort against the Atlantic Division rivals after improving to 8-1-1 with a 2.56 goals-against average in his last 11 starts. However, he has struggled in the last two road games - both losses - posting a 4.41 GAA while getting pulled once.
The Rangers are starting a three-game stretch at the Garden looking to show some improvement there in an effort to outlast Boston, Tampa Bay and Atlanta for the final playoff position in the Eastern Conference.
They're among the worst home teams in the NHL, going 14-15-6 while losing six of their last eight.
New York will try to carry some momentum back home after beating the Thrashers 5-2 Friday to end a four-game losing streak.
"It's still do or die for us," said Henrik Lundqvist, who had 29 saves Friday after losing his previous three starts with a 4.46 GAA. "We're still in a really tough position. I hope we can compete."
Lundqvist will likely get his 12th start in 13 games in an effort to shake his funk at home. He's 2-4-2 with a 3.24 GAA in his last eight at MSG, and was chased by the Flyers in the last matchup there after allowing three goals on 11 shots through the opening period.
He's been pulled three times in the last seven home meetings with Philadelphia, going 2-3-1 with a 3.88 GAA.
Marian Gaborik, the team leader with 36 goals and 37 assists, is looking to build on his three-point performance from Friday after getting one in the previous four games. The right wing has one goal and three assists in 11 career games against the Flyers and no points in three contests since joining the Rangers.
These teams will end the regular season with a home-and-home set April 9 and 11.
- -------------------------------------------
Philadelphia
1 0 0 --1
Ny Rangers 0 2 1 --3
-------------------------------------------
FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Philadelphia, Daniel Briere 24 (power
play) (Unassisted), 04:13. Penalties: O Jokinen, Nyr (slashing),
2:59; A Asham, Phi (high-sticking), 7:47; M Rozsival, Nyr
(interference), 16:44.
SECOND PERIOD -- Scori
Mar 14 5:30 PM - -------------------------------------------
Philadelphia
1 0 0 --1
Ny Rangers 0 2 1 --3
-------------------------------------------
FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Philadelphia, Daniel Briere 24 (power
play) (Unassisted), 04:13. Penalties: O Jokinen, Nyr (slashing),
2:59; A Asham, Phi (high-sticking), 7:47; M Rozsival, Nyr
(interference), 16:44.
SECOND PERIOD -- Scori
Mar 14 5:30 PM - --------------------------------------
Philadelphia
1 0 --1
Ny Rangers 0 2 --2
--------------------------------------
FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Philadelphia, Daniel Briere 24 (power
play) (Unassisted), 04:13. Penalties: O Jokinen, Nyr (slashing),
2:59; A Asham, Phi (high-sticking), 7:47; M Rozsival, Nyr
(interference), 16:44.
SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: 2, Ny Rangers, S
Mar 14 4:37 PM - ---------------------------------
Philadelphia
1 --1
Ny Rangers 0 --0
---------------------------------
FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Philadelphia, Daniel Briere 24 (power
play) (Unassisted), 04:13. Penalties: O Jokinen, Nyr (slashing),
2:59; A Asham, Phi (high-sticking), 7:47; M Rozsival, Nyr
(interference), 16:44.
Shots on goal:
---------------------------------
Philadelphia
Mar 14 3:42 PM
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