NEW YORK RANGERS at PHILADELPHIA FLYERS PREVIEW

NEW YORK RANGERS at PHILADELPHIA FLYERS
Thursday, Nov. 4, 7:00 p.m.
Wells Fargo Center • Philadelphia, PA
Rangers: 6-4-1 (13 pts)
Flyers: 7-4-1 (15 pts)
* All information through NHL games on Nov. 2

TOMORROW’S GAME:
The Rangers will face-off against the Philadelphia Flyers tomorrow, Nov. 4, at the Wells Fargo Center (7:00 p.m.), in the first game of a back-to-back set against Atlantic Division rivals. The Blueshirts currently rank second in the Atlantic Division standings, and fifth in the Eastern Conference, with a record of 6-4-1 (13 pts). The Rangers enter tomorrow’s contest having defeated the Chicago Blackhawks, 3-2, on Monday at Madison Square Garden, and have now won five of their last seven games (5-2-0). The Flyers enter the contest with a 7-4-1 (15 pts) record to rank second in the Eastern Conference, and have won each of their last four contests. Following tomorrow’s game, the Rangers will travel to New Jersey to face-off against the Devils, tomorrow, Nov. 5, at the Prudential Center (7:00 p.m.), to close out their third of 18 back-to-back sets of the season.

RANGERS PRACTICE SCHEDULE:
Prior to the game, the Rangers’ morning skate is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. at the Wells Fargo Center.
* Schedule and availability subject to change

BROADCAST INFORMATION:

• TV: MSG Network
  6:30 p.m. – Rangers Pre-Game Show with Bill Pidto and Mike Keenan
  7:00 p.m. – Rangers at Flyers
  Broadcasters: Sam Rosen (Play-By-Play), Joe Micheletti (Analyst), John Giannone (In-Game Reporter)
• Radio: 970 The Apple
  7:00 p.m. – Rangers at Flyers
  Broadcasters: Kenny Albert (Play-By-Play), Dave Maloney (Analyst)

RANGERS vs. FLYERS:

• All-Time: The Rangers are 108-103-37-7 all-time against the Flyers: 56-45-23-4 at home and 52-58-14-3 on the road
• 2010-11: Tonight’s contest marks the first of six meetings between the Rangers and Flyers this season, and first of three games at the Wells Fargo Center
• Last Season: New York was 3-2-1 against the Flyers in 2009-10, including a 1-1-1 mark at Philadelphia. Five of their six meetings were decided by two goals or less, including three that were decided by one goal.
• New York is tied for fourth in the NHL on the road with a record of 4-1-0 (8 pts) in five games; Philadelphia has posted a record of 5-3-0 (10 pts) in eight home games to rank third in the league
• The Rangers have posted a record of 1-1-0 vs. the Atlantic Division; the Flyers have registered a 3-1-0 mark vs. Atlantic Division opponents
• Henrik Lundqvist posted a record of 3-2-1 with a 2.05 goals against average and .934 save percentage in six contests vs. Philadelphia last season, and is now 14-7-3 with a 2.79 goals against average and two shutouts in 26 career games against the Flyers
• Ruslan Fedotenko has registered 13 goals and 23 points in 32 career regular season contests vs. Philadelphia; Dan Girardi has recorded 15 assists in 24 career games vs. the Flyers
• NHL Debut – Dan Girardi made his NHL debut vs. Philadelphia on Jan. 27, 2007
• New York lists four former Flyers on their roster: Martin Biron (2006-07 – 2008-09); Steve Eminger (2008-09); Vinny Prospal (1996-97 – 1997-98, 2007-08); Todd White (1999-00)
• Philadelphia lists four former Rangers on their roster: Blair Betts (2005-06 – 2008-09); Ian Laperriere (1995-96); Jody Shelley (2009-10); Nikolay Zherdev (2008-09)

SPECIAL TEAMS:                                                 

• Power Play: The Rangers tallied one goal in three power play opportunities (5:00) on Monday vs. Chicago, and are now 5-23 (21.7%) with the man advantage over the last six games. New York is tied for 14th in the NHL with a 16.7% (7-42) success rate, and rank 12th on the road with a 18.8% (3-16) success rate away from MSG. The Rangers did not convert on one five-on-three chance (0:30) on Oct. 9 at HSBC Arena, and are now 0-1 on five-on-three attempts (0:30). New York is 0-1 (1:05) with a four-on-three advantage this season. Shorthanded goals allowed (0).
• Penalty Killing: The Blueshirts surrendered one goal to the Blackhawks in four shorthanded situations (5:38) on Monday at MSG. New York ranks 26th in the NHL with a 77.1% (37-48) success rate, and are 17th in the league on the road with a 83.3% (20-24) success rate away from MSG. The Rangers held the Maple Leafs scoreless in one, three-on-five situation (0:31) on Saturday at Toronto, and are 4-6 on three-on-fives (5:08) this season. The Blueshirts yielded one goal in three, three-on-four situations on Oct. 15, and are now 2-3 (1:10) in those situations this season. Shorthanded goals for (1): 10/9 at BUF (Dubinsky).
• Four-on-Four: New York did not tally/yield a goal in one, four-on-four situation, Monday vs. Chicago, and are now even in nine, four-on-four situations (11:44) this season. Four-on-four goals for (1): 10/18 vs. COL (Frolov). Four-on-four goals allowed (1): 10/15 vs. TOR (Kessel).

IT’S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA
The Rangers have posted a record of 14-3-2 (30 pts) in their last 19 games at Philadelphia, dating back to a 3-1 win on Mar. 27, 2004. Henrik Lundqvist has registered a career 7-2-1 mark in Philadelphia.

BACK-TO-BACKS
Tonight’s contest will begin the Rangers’ third of 18 back-to-back sets this season. The Blueshirts are currently 1-1-0 in the first game of back-to-backs following a 4-3 loss vs. Carolina on Friday, and are 1-0-0 when the first game of the set is on the road.

BLOCK PARTY
The Blueshirts currently lead the NHL with 223 blocked shots on the season, averaging a league-high, 20.3 blocked shots per contest. Dan Girardi is tied for first in the NHL with 41 blocked shots, and Ryan Callahan leads all NHL forwards with 20 blocked shots. New York has registered a combined 68 blocked shots in their last two games, posting 33 blocked shots in Monday’s 3-2 win vs. Chicago and a season-high, 35 blocked shots in Saturday’s 2-0 win at Toronto.

A BROADWAY HIT
The Rangers currently rank first in the NHL with 327 hits on the season, averaging a league-high, 29.7 hits per contest. Ryan Callahan leads the team and is tied for fourth in the NHL with 42 hits, and Brian Boyle is tied for 19th in the league with 30 hits on the season.

THE HOT LIST:

• The Rangers have won five of their last seven games, posting a record of 5-2-0 during the stretch
• The Rangers have tallied five power play goals in the last six games, registering a 21.7% (5-23) success rate over the span
• Ryan Callahan enters tonight’s contest with a career-high, seven-game scoring streak, registering 11 points (four goals, seven assists) over the span, and has recorded multiple points in four of the last five games
• Henrik Lundqvist is 4-1-0 in his last five starts, registering a 1.82 goals against average, .949 save percentage and one shutout over the span
• Brandon Dubinsky has registered seven points (four goals, three assists) in the last six games
• Artem Anisimov has tallied six points (two goals, four assists) in the last seven games, with assists in three of the last four (four assists)
• Michael Rozsival has registered five points (one goal, four assists) in the last seven games
• Brandon Prust has registered an assist in each of the last two games

ALL-TIME RANGERS SHUTOUTS
Henrik Lundqvist posted his first shutout of the season with a 36-save performance on Saturday at Toronto and, in the process, passed Mike Richter, Chuck Rayner and Lorne Worsley for fourth on the Rangers’ all-time regular season shutouts list with 25 career regular season shutouts.

YOUTH IS SERVED
Based on opening day rosters, the Rangers have the ninth youngest team in the NHL with an average age of 27 years and 44 days, and the second youngest defensive corp in the league, trailing only Los Angeles with an average age of 25 years and 51 days.

MILESTONES IN SIGHT:

• John Tortorella: 5 wins from 300 NHL career
• Artem Anisimov: 6 games from 100 NHL career
• Michael Del Zotto: 9 games from 100 NHL career
• Dan Girardi: 9 games from 300 NHL career

MILESTONES RECENTLY ACHIEVED:

• Michael Sauer: 1st career NHL assist/point (10/23 at BOS)
• Ryan Callahan: 100th career NHL point (10/23 at BOS)
• Evgeny Grachev: 1st career NHL game (10/29 vs. CAR)
• Sean Avery: 500th career NHL game (11/1 vs. CHI)

INJURIES:                                  

• Vinny Prospal (IR on Sept. 24/knee surgery on Oct. 18, 6-8 weeks) – 11
• Marian Gaborik (IR – separated shoulder on Oct. 15, 2-4 weeks) – 8
• Chris Drury (IR – fractured finger on Oct. 15, 6 weeks) – 8

Total Man-Games Lost: 32

RECENT TRANSACTIONS:

• Oct. 24: Recalled forward Jeremy Williams from Hartford
• Oct. 25: Assigned forward Jeremy Williams to Hartford
• Oct. 28: Recalled forward Evgeny Grachev from Hartford