In this division there are still many questions to answer and tonight could go a long way towards clarity as Columbus visits Philly. Here is how it sits currently..
2. Rangers 77GP 43-30-4 90pts 39ROW 3. Flyers 75GP 39-27-9 87pts 36ROW 4. Columbus 75GP 38-30-7 83pts 33ROW
A Flyers win tonight and the Jackets are not likely getting into the 2 or 3 spot, but a Jackets win tonight and the race is truly on. So therefore I decided to play this out a bit and see who the matchups favored in all three possible scenarios. The remarkable thing about these three teams is how even they have played each other historically.
Flyers vs. Rangers
This Season... This year the teams have split each winning their 2 home games in regulation, the winner holding the loser to only a single goal in three of the game, 2 goals in the other.
Last Three Seasons Over the last three years the Rangers have taken 11 of 15 from the Flyers, and remarkably none of the games have gone to overtime. The Rangers have outscored the Flyers 48-30 over that duration. Only twice in the 15 games have the Flyers managed more than 3 goals.
All Time.. How is this for even? Since 1967 the teams have played 276 times in the regular season. The NY Rangers have won 121. The Flyers have won 118. There have been 37 ties. ...but check this out...both teams have scored exactly 821 goals against the other.
In the playoffs...
The have played in 10 playoff series, but not since 1996-97. The Flyers have won 6. The Rangers 4. The Flyers have scores 157 goals. The Rangers 153.
X factor The Flyers would rather play the Penguins in the opening round for certain. Despite the all time history being even, this particular group of Rangers is a confident group against the Flyers
Rangers vs. Blue Jackets
This Season These teams have combined for two major trades and there is very large and interesting amount of players who would have something to prove in this series. This year the teams have split with 2 wins a piece. One of those for Columbus came via the shootout.
Last Three Seasons Going back three years these teams have only played 5 games. The Rangers winning in 2011-12 in OT.
All time... All time these teams have only played 15 times. Each team has won 7 games and they tied 1. Each team won one of their 7 in a shootout.
Never played in the playoffs
X Factor: These two teams recently played a very spirited game that saw Bobrovsky and Rick Nash get into a fight. With all the history between the players on each team a playoff series would cement this as true rivalry.
Flyers vs. Blue Jackets
This season... The teams meet tonight in Philly and so far this season Columbus has won 2 of 3 games scoring 15 goals on the Flyers in 3 games. Winning 6-3 and 5-2 in Columbus, while losing 5-4 in Philly...but the Flyers and Claude Giroux had one of the all-time comebacks to make that happen scoring 4 times in the third period
Last Three Seasons... The only other time these teams have played in the last three years was in November of 2011, a Flyers 9-2 victory in Philly.
All time.. All time these teams have met 14 times. The Flyers winning 7, the Jackets 4, and 3 ties.
Never met in the playoffs
X Factor Both teams have had huge success with a goalie the other team cast away. Bobrovsky and Mason. That would make for an entertaining series.