The Philadelphia Flyers are set to host the New York Rangers in a highly anticipated Black Friday showdown at the Wells Fargo Center, in the first installment of the “Broad Street vs. Broadway” rivalry this season.
Not only does the holiday slate add a bit of a festive atmosphere, but the stakes are also high: the Flyers are just two points behind their Metropolitan Division rivals and have a chance to start pulling themselves out of last place with a win this afternoon.
Momentum Matters
The Flyers come into this matchup riding the emotional high of an overtime victory, but their win against the Nashville Predators wasn’t exactly a clinic. While Sean Couturier’s game-winning snipe (and cartwheel(?) celebration) stole the show, Philadelphia struggled with consistency and didn’t fully capitalize on their offensive chances throughout thw game.
Still, the ability to win games without their best performance is a sign of growth for this team. In years past, they may have let a scrappy contest like that slip away. But this year’s Flyers are learning how to grind out wins, even in less-than-ideal circumstances. Against a formidable opponent like the Rangers, they’ll need to pair that grit with a more polished effort if they want to keep the momentum rolling.
A Chance To Shine
There’s something about high-stakes games that seems to bring out the best in these Flyers. Whether it’s the seven overtime periods they’ve played this month (yes, seven) or tight contests against top teams, this group thrives when the pressure is on.
A Black Friday game against one of their biggest rivals is the perfect opportunity for the Flyers to show off. The Rangers are an established institution with firepower up and down the lineup, and their disciplined defensive structure will be a major test for the Flyers’ offense.
But the Flyers have relished the chance to punch above their weight this season, and a win here would only further solidify their reputation as a team that refuses to back down.
Travel Fatigue vs. Rivalry Energy
This week has been anything but restful for the Flyers. Monday’s shootout loss to the Vegas Golden Knights, Wednesday’s overtime thriller in Nashville, and now a quick turnaround to face the Rangers at home make for a jam-packed schedule.
While the travel could leave the Flyers a step behind physically, the energy of a rivalry game on home ice might be just the spark they need to compensate. The Rangers are always a draw at the Wells Fargo Center, and with the Metropolitan Division standings tightening, this matchup carries extra significance. Expect the Flyers to dig deep, feed off the crowd, and lean on their identity as a hardworking, never-say-die team to overcome any lingering fatigue.
Projected Lines
Philadelphia Flyers
Forwards:
Joel Farabee – Sean Couturier – Travis Konecny
Owen Tippett – Morgan Frost – Matvei Michkov
Tyson Foerster – Noah Cates – Bobby Brink
Scott Laughton – Ryan Poehling – Garnet Hathaway
Defense:
Cam York – Travis Sanheim
Emil Andrae – Rasmus Ristolainen
Nick Seeler – Helge Grans
Starting Goalie:
Ivan Fedotov
New York Rangers
Forwards:
Artemi Panarin – Vincent Trocheck – Alexis Lafreniere
Will Cuylle – Mika Zibanejad – Brett Berard
Adam Edstrom – Kaapo Kakko – Reilly Smith
Jimmy Vesey – Sam Carrick – Jonny Brodzinski
Defense:
Ryan Lindgren – Adam Fox
K’Andre Miller – Jacob Trouba
Zac Jones – Braden Schneider
Starting Goalie:
Igor Shesterkin
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