Rangers vs. Flyers: Lineups, storylines for Metro matinee
It’s been nearly a month since the New York Rangers last played a game within the Metropolitan Division. But that’ll change Saturday, when the Rangers host the Philadelphia Flyers in a matinee at Madison Square Garden.
In fact, the Rangers schedule features five of their next six games through the end of the calendar year against divisional foes. So, this is a good time for them to start playing consistently better within the division if the Rangers wish to make a serious run at a playoff spot this season.
The Rangers (17-15-4) are 3-4-0 against Metropolitan Division teams, most recently skating to a 4-2 road win over the first-place Carolina Hurricanes on Thanksgiving Eve. This upcoming stretch through Dec. 31 sees the Rangers face-off twice against the Washington Capitals, and once each against the Flyers, Hurricanes, and Islanders.
As of Friday, the Rangers are sixth in the eight-team Metropolitan Division, though just three points behind the third-place Islanders. They’re two points behind the Flyers, who hold the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
This is the first meeting in 2025-26 between the Rangers and Flyers. Neither team qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season, when the Flyers took two out of three in the season series.
The Rangers come off a 2-1 overtime win in St. Louis against the Blues on Thursday. Gabe Perreault scored his first NHL goal early in the second period to tie the game, before J.T. Miller netted his third OT winner this season.
That was their second win in seven games (2-3-2) and their League-leading 13th on the road. It’s well documented that the Rangers are not nearly as successful this season on home ice, where they have a 4-10-1 record. Earlier in the week, New York scored one goal when they lost back-to-back home games to the Anaheim Ducks and Vancouver Canucks.
The Flyers have points in five of their past six games (2-1-3), but lost 5-3 to the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday. Philly hasn’t lost consecutive games in regulation since Nov. 1-2, and is 5-1-3 within the Metropolitan Division.
3 storylines when Rangers host Flyers
1. Working overtime
With these two teams playing one another, be prepared for the game to last more than 60 minutes Saturday. The Rangers played their 10th overtime game Thursday, improving to 6-4. They’re 5-4 in sudden death and 1-0 in the shootout. Miller had a direct hand in five of those six OT wins. He scored three goals in overtime and assisted on one by Will Cuylle, and also notched the shootout winner against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Thirteen of the Flyers’ 33 games to date were decided in overtime. That’s a whopping 39.4 percent of their games. Three of their past five games went past 60 minutes. Philly is 7-6 in overtime this season — 2-4 in sudden death and 5-2 in the shootout.
2. Goalie focus
This is an intriguing goalie match up. The Rangers starting goalie is expected to be Igor Shesterkin, who stopped 26 of 27 shots in St. Louis, the sixth time he’s allowed one goal or fewer in 28 starts this season. Since 2021-22, no NHL goalie has more starts allowing one goal or less than Shesterkin, who’s done it 74 times.
Among goalies to start at least 20 games this season, Shesterkin is tied for the sixth lowest goals-against average (2.49). His 16.0 goals saved above expected is sixth most in the League, per MoneyPuck. And he has a solid .910 save percentage, which is tied with Flyers goalie Dan Vladar for seventh in the NHL among those who’ve played 20 games.
Vladar signed a two-year, $6.7 million contract with the Flyers this past offseason. After spending four seasons as the No. 2 goalie with the Calgary Flames, where he never played more than 30 games, Vladar already started 20 for the Flyers as their No. 1. The 28-year-old’s been excellent, and his 2.41 GAA, so far, is the best of his career and better than his New York counterpart heading into their clash Saturday.
3. Flyers pain could be Rangers gain
Earlier this week, the Flyers revealed that forward Tyson Foerster is out for the rest of the regular season following arm surgery. That’s a big blow to the Flyers. The 23-year-old scored at least 20 goals in his first two NHL seasons, including 25 a year ago. He was off to a fast start with 10 goals in 21 games before sustaining an injury two weeks ago.
Foerster, you might remember, had a hat trick against the Rangers last April in an 8-5 Flyers win. So, it’s safe to say the Blueshirts won’t miss playing against him.
In his absence, the Flyers must find more production within their lineup. Trevor Zegras, the Bedford, New York native, is off to a nice start with 14 goals, and Travis Konecny scored his 10th of the season in the loss Thursday. But the rest of the forward group is hit or miss. Especially Matvei Michkov, the uber-talented 21-year-old, who scored 26 goals as a rookie in 2024-25, but has eight so far this season.
New York Rangers projected lineup
Will Cuylle — Mika Zibanejad — Alexis Lafreniere
J.T. Miller — Vincent Trocheck — Conor Sheary
Gabe Perreault — Noah Laba — Taylor Raddysh
Brennan Othmann — Sam Carrick — Matt Rempe
Vladislav Gavrikov — Braden Schneider
Carson Soucy — Will Borgen
Matthew Robertson — Scott Morrow
Igor Shesterkin
Jonathan Quick
Rangers vs. Flyers: When, where, what time, how to watch
Who: New York Rangers vs. Philadelphia Flyers
When: Saturday, Dec. 20 at 12:30 p.m. ET
Where: Madison Square Garden
How to watch: MSG
