2. STREAK TO PROTECT
It's the fourth and final meeting of the year against the Rangers with the Flyers winning all three games of the season series by a combined score of 7-2... The Flyers have also won six straight games against the Blueshirts dating back to Jan. 16, 2018 and have outscored the Rangers 23 to 9 with 21 of the goals coming at even strength (including empty-net goals)... The six-game streak is the second-longest in team history against the Rangers, only to their 11-game win streak 34 years ago (Mar. 17, 1984 through Dec. 7, 1985).
3. BLUE ON BROADWAY
The Rangers have been eliminated from the playoffs for the second straight year, which is the first time since the 2003-04 season, when they missed for seven straight years, they have not made the playoffs in back-to-back years... They enter today's game coming off a 4-2 win over St. Louis on Friday, but they have not won two games in-a-row since before the NHL All-Star/Bye week break, over 10 weeks ago (Jan. 15-19)... Since Feb. 24, the Rangers have the second-fewest wins (3) and tied for the second-fewest points in the NHL (11) by going 3-8-5.
4. THIS, THAT & THE OTHER
THIS: The Rangers are currently the youngest team in the NHL at 25.7 avg - At least one Ranger who is 23 years old or younger has scored in nine of the last 11 games ... THAT: Today is the second and final back-to-back of the season for the Flyers, who own a 6-7-0 mark in "second" games... It's also the final time they will wear their black third jerseys to which they own an 8-6-1 mark this season ... THE OTHER: The Flyers have scored a power-play goal in four of their last six games, going 4-for-12 (33.3%), while the Rangers have allowed a PPG in six of their last 10 games, going 70% (21-for-30) on their PK.
5. PLAYERS TO WATCH:
FLYERS (C: #14 - Sean Couturier)
Couturier has led the Flyers in scoring since Nov. 1, recording 70 points (28g-42a) in 63 games... He has more goals in his last two seasons (63), than his previous five seasons combined (57)... Against the Rangers, Couturier has five points (2g-3a) in the season series and has posted eight points in his last six against NY (2g-6a).
RANGERS (RW: #89 - Pavel Buchnevic)
Buchnevic enters today's game with a six-game point streak in which he has posted seven points (3g-4a)... He has 25 of his 36 points since Jan. 1 and he leads the Rangers in scoring since Feb. 6 with 20 points (10g-10a)... In his third season in the NHL, he is one point shy of 100 in his NHL career.
