Rangers look for franchise history again when they host the Philadelphia Flyers
By Conor Power
Two teams are trying to bounce back from disappointing defeats before a deep playoff run. They will meet tonight at Madison Square Garden as the New York Rangers look to complete a sweep in the season series between the Blueshirts and the Philadelphia Flyers. Tonight, New York's opponent is reeling from a 9-3 hammering at the hands of the Montreal Canadiens, so the Rangers can pour salt into the Flyers' open wounds here.
Mika Zibanejad, a key player for the New York Rangers, took a high hit while skating to the bench in a recent game. While the hit was within the rules, it left many Ranger fans unhappy with the Islanders defenseman's play. Whether he takes the ice tonight or not, there's no denying the impact of his absence. If Zibanejad is not at his best, perhaps it's best for him to sit out and rest up for the postseason. After all, there are more important things than the next three games for the Rangers.
History is within reach for the New York Rangers tonight. A win would mark their 54th of the season, a new franchise record. The current record of 53, held by the Blueshirts and tied with the 2014-15 team, is a testament to the team's legacy. Can the Rangers continue to rewrite the history books of this storied franchise? The answer lies in the outcome of tonight's game.
Projected Lineups
Philadelphia Flyers
Tyson Foerster - Morgan Frost - Owen Tippett
Joel Farabee - Scott Laughton - Travis Koncecny
Olle Lycksell - Ryan Poehling - Garnet Hathaway
Noah Cates - Sean Couturier - Bobby Brink
Cam York - Travis Sanheim
Nick Seeler - Jamie Drysdale
Erik Johnson - Marc Staal
Samuel Ersson
Ivan Fedotov
New York Rangers
Chris Kreider - Mika Zibanejad - Jack Roslovic
Artemi Panarin - Vincent Trocheck - Alexis Lafreniere
Will Cuylle - Alexander Wennberg - Kaapo Kakko
Barclay Goodrow - Jonny Brodzinski - Jimmy Vesey
Ryan Lindgren - Adam Fox
K'Andre Miller - Jacob Trouba
Erik Gustafsson - Braden Schneider
Igor Shesterkin
Jonathan Quick
Puck Drop
Tonight's game from Madison Square Garden will start at 7 p.m. with puck drop. New York will be focused on the historical possibilities of a win, but the Flyers are desperate to stop the rot and punch their playoff ticket. A win can sink the Flyers' hopes tonight. We will see both teams desperate for the points. We should be in for a great game tonight.