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UPDATE 11:45 AM
Danny Briere, whose hand was slashed in Thursday's game in Dallas, is out tonight. He is officially listed as day-to-day. Looks like Jody Shelley will be back in the lineup.
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PREVIEW 9:00 AM EST
In their last game before a three-day mini break over Christmas, the Flyers (21-8-4) travel to Manhattan to take on their Winter Classic opponents, the New York Rangers (20-8-4). The game, which undoubtedly will be covered extensively next week on HBO's 24/7, starts at 7 PM and will be broadcast locally on CSN Philly and nationally on NHL Network.
This is the second of six meetings between the teams this season. In a Nov. 26 matinee at Madison Square Garden, Henrik Lundqvist shut out the Flyers, 2-0. The game was scoreless until Brad Richards scored on the power play in the opening minute of the second period. Carl Hagelin added some insurance early in the third with his first NHL goal. Sergei Bobrovsky played a solid game in goal for the Flyers but the team was unable to provide him any goal support.
When the teams had their first meeting of the season, the Flyers were playing on back-to-back afternoons and were in action for the third time in four days (and fourth in six). The emotion was there, but the legs weren't. This time around, Philly has done a lot of cross-country traveling -- this is the third game in five days across three U.S. time zones -- but at least there has been an off day between each game. The Rangers played the Islanders last night.
The Flyers sport an 8-1-1 record in the month of December and bring the NHL's best road record (13-3-2) into tonight's game. They are coming off an impressive 4-1 win in Dallas, in which Claude Giroux made a grand return to the lineup with a goal and three assists and Jaromir Jagr (who did not play in the first game against the Rangers) tallied a goal and an assist. Wayne Simmonds (6 goals in last 9 games) and defenseman Andrej Meszaros had the other goals for the Flyers.
New York has had some ups and downs since the last time the team played the Flyers but it brings a three-game winning streak into tonight's tilt. Marian Gaborik has been scorching hot of late, tallying five goals in the last three games to tie for the league goal-scoring lead.
Last night, ex-Flyer Martin Biron started in goal for the Blueshirts and the club took away a 4-2 win over the Islanders. Brandon Dubinsky, Gaborik, Michael Del Zotto and John Mitchell (empty netter) scored the Rangers' goals.
The Flyers figure to dress the same lineup tonight that they used in Dallas. Danny Briere took a slash in the hand in that game but may be OK for tonight. Defenseman Erik Gustafsson (wrist surgery) could return next week. Brayden Schenn (concussion) is out indefinitely. Sean Couturier (head injury) is day-to-day. Chris Pronger (concussion) is lost for the season and playoffs.
Apart from Lundqvist returning to the net, the Rangers appear likely to use the same lineup as last night. The team had enjoyed relatively good health through the first quarter of the season but the club's blueline has become quite banged up of late.
Marc Staal (concussion) remains out of the lineup but has returned to skating. Ex-Flyers Steve Eminger (separated right shoulder) and Jeff Woywitka (foot) went down more recently; Eminger is on injured reserve and Woywitka is questionable for tonight. Michael Sauer (concussion) also remains out indefinitely. In addition, forward Wojtek Wolski (sports hernia) is still on IR.
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