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Rangers look to snap four-game skid

Jan 10, 2008 - 1:31 PM Philadelphia (21-15-4) at NY Rangers (20-18-5) 7:00 pm EST

NEW YORK (Ticker) - The new year has not brought much joy to the New York Rangers.

An injury-plagued Rangers squad tries to end a four-game losing streak Thursday when they host the Philadelphia Flyers in a battle of Atlantic Division rivals.

New York's leading-scorer Brendan Shanahan has been hampered by neck and knee injuries recently, Martin Straka has been forced out of action with a concussion and Sean Avery was place on injured reserve Tuesday with a right hand contusion.

Without Straka and Avery in the lineup Tuesday, New York suffered a 5-3 setback to the struggling Tampa Bay Lightning. Due to the recent struggles, the Rangers have fallen to the bottom of the division standings.

The Flyers will try to conclude their six-game road trip with their third straight victory. Philadelphia has looked impressive on the current trip, winning in four of the first five stops on the way.

Antero Niittymaki has been a major factor in the Flyers recent surge. The 27-year-old netminder is on a personal three-game winning streak, stopping 119 of the 122 shots he has faced during that stretch.

Philadelphia has been winning lately in spite of lack of production from Mike Richards, who has just one goal and two points over the last six games. Richards, who received a 12-year contract extension December 13, still leads the club with 19 goals and 44 points this season.