Battle Of Hudson

The day is finally here. For the first time in 17 years, the Flyers and Rangers will do battle in the playoffs. Much is expected. A classic rivalry unfolds when New York and Philadelphia take the Garden ice for Game 1.

In a season which started poorly for both franchises, two points separated them in the standings. The Rangers finished with 96 to the Flyers’ 94 to earn home ice. Will it be a determining factor? It largely depends on whether the Flyers can conquer MSG demons. The Rangers weren’t as good at home during the season but have fed off the energy of the building against Philly. If they lose home ice, they have the ability to win on the road. Though the season series saw each game go to the home side. If it reaches Game 7, having that extra game could prove pivotal.

At this point, toss out the Rangers’ recent Garden mastery of their archrival. It’s the postseason. Anything can happen. Speaking of which, Ray Emery gets the start for the Flyers with Steve Mason not ready. Mason will travel to Manhattan tomorrow but remains questionable for Game 2. Goaltending would tend to favor the Rangers with Henrik Lundqvist one of the game’s best. The Flyers will try to make life difficult on Hank by attacking his crease. Lundqvist has the capability of stealing a series. He’ll need to be at his best against a dangerous opponent.

One of the main storylines is former Lightning ’04 Cup members going up against each other. Brad Richards and Martin St. Louis will face Vincent Lecavalier in the series. It’ll be odd to see them on opposite sides. But the reality is they haven’t been together in a while. There are no friends in a series. Maybe we’ll even see some animosity. It’s interesting to note that Lecavalier centers the Flyers’ fourth line and scored 20 goals. He still plays power play and is a proven performer. Since coming over from Tampa, St. Louis has taken time to get acclimated scoring just once. But he seemed to be fitting in on a line with Derek Stepan and Rick Nash. Richards meanwhile bounced back with 20 goals and will start with Carl Hagelin and Jesper Fast.

What’s the biggest key to the series? Discipline. When it comes down to it, the team that stays more disciplined will prevail. The Flyers are the most penalized team and have chippie players like Scott Hartnell, Wayne Simmonds and Jakub Voracek who can spice things up. Post scrum, the Flyers will dare the Rangers to take bad penalties. Something they must stay away from. Putting Philly on the power play is risky. Combined with Claude Giroux, points Mark Streit and Kimmo Timonen, they are lethal. Especially with Hartnell, Simmonds and Voracek working in front. If there’s one flaw, the points can be attacked. The Rangers penalty kill is aggressive and capable shorthanded. They must limit the Flyers’ opportunities.

Nash must be a factor. This isn’t last Spring. More often than not, he’s scored in the clutch. Playing with Stepan and St. Louis, he should be able to get open and have plenty of chances. He must bury them.

The Rangers’ best even strength line is Derick Brassard, Benoit Pouliot and Mats Zuccarello. They’re an excellent puck possession trio who use their speed well and work the end boards effectively. Not only are they strong five on five but are good on the power play. Brassard and Zuccarello double as playmakers while Pouliot goes to the dirty areas and brings net presence. In order for the Rangers to be successful, they must repeat their second half success.

Not much is said about Alain Vigneault’s fourth line. Tonight, it’s Derek Dorsett playing with Brian Boyle and Dominic Moore. They’re a solid checking unit who can be trusted to bring energy and even generate offensively. Ex-Flyer Daniel Carcillo can also sub for Dorsett if needed. The key will be for both to stay out of the penalty box. Both love to mix it up. There’s a fine line. Depending on how the series is called, we’ll learn more how scrums will be handled.

Ryan McDonaugh is ready to go. Is he 100 percent? The Flyers will test him early. They’ll finish every check. Mac Truck is one of the league’s best defensemen who can impact the game offensively and defensively. The Rangers don’t have another player like him. Him teamed with Dan Girardi allows Vigneault to have Marc Staal pair with Anton Stralman giving the Blueshirts two pairs capable of neutralizing opponents. That’s a huge edge. It all hinges on McDonaugh, who has improved his offense and will look for his shot.

There’s so much else that could be said. But we’d be here forever. It’s time to drop the puck!

With starter Steve Mason out for tomorrow, it’ll be Ray Emery in net for the Flyers.
philly.com

When the Flyers visit MSG tomorrow for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal, they’ll do so without Steve Mason. The starting goalie still isn’t fully recovered from an upper body injury sustained against Pittsburgh this past Saturday. He left the game after two periods and was replaced by veteran backup Ray Emery.

With Mason ruled out for the beginning of the series, that means the 31-year old Emery will start instead. He’s certainly capable of filling the void. An experienced netminder who is a fighter literally, he’ll compete on every shot. Emery’s career postseason numbers are 20-15 with a 2.57 goals-against-average, .903 save percentage and three shutouts. He’s backstopped Ottawa to a Stanley Cup Final and backed up Corey Crawford on last year’s Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks.

In the head to head regular season match-up, Emery started once and allowed four goals in a 4-1 loss to the Rangers on Jan. 12. Mason started the other three posting a 2-1 record with a 2.06 GAA.  His injury certainly throws a wrench into the Flyers’ plans. However, Emery is battle tested and the Flyer team defense has improved under coach Craig Berube. It shouldn’t be a cake walk.

The Rangers must treat it as they would if Mason was in. It’s still the same approach. Establish themselves early and feed off what should be a loud Garden environment. It’s one of the best rivalries. Given recent history with Philadelphia taking the last three series, there’s plenty of incentive. All-time, the Flyers lead the Rangers six to four. This is the 11th playoff meeting.

The Rangers recalled J.T. Miller from Hartford. Miller isn’t expected to play but did practice taking the place of Derick Brassard. Daily News beat writer Pat Leonard tweeted a couple of updates.

Not to state the obvious. But any injury to Brassard would hurt the team’s chances. He centers the Rangers most cohesive line flanked by leading scorer Mats Zuccarello and perfect complement Benoit Pouliot. They are good skaters who get in on the cycle and take the body. Brassard isn’t overly physical but does a solid job recovering and moving pucks to his line mates.

Encouraging is that Alain Vigneault believes he’ll be ready for Game 1 Thursday. Unless it’s serious, there’s little doubt Brassard will play. The last thing Vigneault wants is to have to tinker with his lines. It looks like Jesper Fast will make his playoff debut. He practiced again with Carl Hagelin and Brad Richards. Daniel Carcillo subbed late for Derek Dorsett on the fourth line which would indicate he’s the odd man out.

As expected, Ryan McDonaugh participated in full practice. The one decision Vigneault has is between Raphael Diaz and Kevin Klein for the sixth spot on defense. It shouldn’t be difficult with the more physical and defensive minded Klein a better fit teaming with John Moore. Since coming over for Mike Del Zotto, he hasn’t made many glaring mistakes and is a smart positional defender. Exactly why Glen Sather acquired him.

Nothing new on Chris Kreider, who remains out. Interestingly, he led the Rangers with two goals and two assists versus the Flyers in the season series. As we’ve seen, they can’t replace his combination of size, speed and physicality. A reason Miller got called up. He adds size and a physical element. At this point, that’s the last option. Vigneault doesn’t seem to like him.

The battle is on when the Flyers and Rangers meet in the first round.
csnphilly.com

For the first time in 17 years, the Rangers and Flyers renew acquaintances in the NHL Playoffs. An intense rivalry that’s lasted four decades continues when the second seeded Rangers and third seeded Flyers begin a much anticipated first round Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series on Thursday at Madison Square Garden.

It’ll be the 11th meeting between classic rivals. There’s no love lost between the two cities. New York and Philadelphia have a strong disdain for each other which resonates in the stands. Expect the energy in both buildings to be through the roof. Figure each team to come out strong looking to establish themselves. Historically, the Flyers lead the postseason head to head match-up six to four. That includes the last three with the ’97 Conference Final still fresh.

None of that matters. This time around, it’s a different batch of actors playing key roles who are looking to add their names to the next chapter. Most notably, the Flyers edged the Rangers in a shootout to make the 2010 postseason. That same year, they made history by rallying from a 3-0 deficit to stun Boston and just fell short of the franchise’s third Stanley Cup in a six-game defeat to Chicago. A couple of seasons later, the Rangers got a measure of revenge taking the Winter Classic at Citizens Bank Ballpark with Henrik Lundqvist stoning Daniel Briere on a penalty shot to clinch a 3-2 victory. That team posted the East’s best record and made the franchise’s first Conference Final in 15 years. Ultimately, they fell in six to nemesis New Jersey.

The good news for both teams is this time, they’re fighting for something much bigger. The winner advances in the 16-team NHL tournament for Lord Stanley. The loser hits the golf course. The stakes are higher. The battle lines have been drawn. It’s the Rangers and Flyers in what should be an exciting series for players, coaches and fans in each city. With that in mind, let’s break down the match-ups.

FORWARDS: The Flyers are led by captain Claude Giroux, who does a bit of everything. After a terrible start, he proved why he’s one of the league’s best finishing third in scoring with 86 points. He also led them in assists (58) and game-winners (7) while ranking fourth in the league in power play points (37). Simply put, he must be contained. Philly boasts seven different 20-goal scorers including Wayne Simmonds, who paced them with 29 including 15 power play goals. He likes to set up in front. Jakub Voracek is equally as dangerous netting eight of his 23 on the man-advantage. A strong supporting cast features pest Scott Hartnell, Vincent Lecavalier, Matt Read and Brayden Schenn. Sean Couturier is already a strong two-way center who’s dangerous shorthanded with Adam Hall. Steve Downie and Zac Rinaldo are deterrents. Michal Raffl, Tye McGinn and Jay Rosehill are interchangeable.

The Rangers counter with a balanced attack featuring leading scorer Mats Zuccarello. Zuccarello paced them with 59 points which were a career high along with 19 goals. His 40 assists tied Derek Stepan for the team lead. Stepan came in with 57 to rank second. His plus-12 rating is tops among forwards without Chris Kreider. Brad Richards returned to form notching 20 goals and 51 points with his 19 power play points tops. Up front, the Rangers have eight players who scored double digits including Martin St. Louis. He must finish better than the 1 goal in 19. For a second straight year, Rick Nash paced them in goals (26) and tied a club record in game-winners (9). He improved down the stretch and is a shorthanded threat with Stepan. St. Louis and Zuccarello also kill penalties. Derick Brassard and Benoit Pouliot form a potent top line with Zuccarello that gets in on the forecheck. Carl Hagelin and Jesper Fast spent the final two games with Richards leaving top checkers Brian Boyle and Dominic Moore to work with Derek Dorsett and Daniel Carcillo. Is Fast ready or does the coaching staff opt for toughness?

Edge: Even

DEFENSEMEN: On the blueline, the Flyers don’t have a standout but can send out plenty of experience. Former Islander Mark Streit led them offensively with 10 goals and 44 points. He must be watched on the power play. Kimmo Timonen is still getting it done with over half his production on the man-advantage. From a defensive standpoint, they have Braydon Coburn and Niklas Grossmann along with Andrew MacDonald and Luke Schenn. All are capable of blocking shots with MacDonald one of the best. Schenn loves to throw his weight around finishing with 260 hits. In reserve are grizzled vet Hal Gill plus Erik Gustafsson. They aren’t the fastest skaters but do take the body.

On the Rangers side, Ryan McDonaugh anchors the back end along with Dan Girardi. The biggest key is how healthy McDonaugh is. He is one of the league’s best who is leaned on heavily. Having come into his own offensively with career highs in goals (14), assists (29) and points (43), he does everything. If he has full range of motion in the left shoulder, that would be a big boost. He also led the team with three shorthanded goals. After a slow start, Girardi rebounded and will be counted on physically. Marc Staal didn’t have the year many figured but has rounded into form and usually saves his best for now. Partner Anton Stralman is a stalwart defensively who complements Staal. John Moore and Kevin Klein comprise the third pair. Moore’s offense picked up while Klein has fit in seamlessly. Raphael Diaz is a decent extra.

Edge: Rangers

GOALIES: For better or worse, the Flyers will go as far as Steve Mason can take them. In his first full year, he won 33 games and posted a 2.50 GAA, .917 save percentage with four shutouts. He’s improved and is capable. However, his only postseason experience was with Columbus when they were swept in ’09 by Detroit. An upper body injury is a concern but figure him to be ready. All bets are off if Ray Emery gets the call.

Henrik Lundqvist overcame the contract distraction and a poor first half to win 33 games. He was a different player during the second half and post-Olympics. Even in a down year by his high standards, he posted a 2.36 GAA, .920 save percentage and five shutouts. The Rangers’ all-time franchise leader in wins and shutouts must be at his best. He will get tested and probably have Flyers in his crease bumping him. If there’s one advantage the Rangers have, it’s in net.

Edge: Rangers

SPECIAL TEAMS: In any series, special teams are critical. This one should be no different. The Flyers boast a dangerous power play that ranked eighth overall coming in at 19.8 percent. That included an NHL best 25.2 percent on the road. As good as it gets. If there’s one match-up to follow closely, it’s their man-advantage versus the Rangers penalty kill. The Rangers had the third best PK killing off 85.8 percent. They also tied for third with 10 shorthanded goals. The Flyers ranked 28th allowing 11 shorthanded goals.

The Rangers power play finished 15th clicking at 18.2 percent. It was sore spot at home ranking 24th at 15.2 percent. For some reason, they fared better on the road finishing fifth at 21.2 percent. Overall, they permitted seven shorthanded goals which was in the middle. The Flyers also boast a strong penalty kill ranking seventh at 84.8 percent. That included eight shorthanded goals led by Read’s four. Both penalty killing units are strong. One team doesn’t want to give the other too many power play opportunities.

Edge: Flyers

FACEOFFS: Neither side is great in the faceoff circle. The Flyers were 16th at 50.0 percent. Giroux is their best winning 52.9 percent. Only Hall was also on the plus-side of the ledger. Couturier, Schenn and Lecavalier all won less than half. Statistically, the Rangers were even worse finishing 22nd at 48.8 percent. You know it’s troublesome when none of your top three are .500. Richards is just a shade under coming in at 49.8 while Brassard is hit or miss and Stepan the same. Moore is their best but centers the fourth line and kills penalties. Boyle also wins over half but is on the same unit. Key draws can lead to puck possession and goals for and against.

Edge: Flyers

COACHES: Craig Berube did an outstanding job after relieving Peter Laviolette. He got his team to buy into a new system that put more emphasis on coming back defensively. Look how well they responded improving in every aspect. They play hard and are never out of a game. It took time for Alain Vigneault to get everyone on the same page. But once they did, his more aggressive strategy paid dividends. He certainly has the edge experience wise. Both tacticians have pushed a lot of right buttons making it a toss up.

Edge: Even

INTANGIBLES: The Flyers have brought renewed passion. They believe they can win. If there’s one sticky point, it’s whether they can overcome recent history at MSG. Logic dictates that you can toss that out. The Rangers want to jump on them and create doubt. Given that they’re also a strong road team who won the most games away from home, that could be a factor. I don’t put too much stock in home ice but having Game 7 in their building against a hated rival could play out.

Edge: Rangers

Analysis: The Flyers are much bigger and will try to impose their will. The Rangers must use their speed edge and push back. It’s a knock ’em sock ’em drag out fight that will be determined by whose style wins out.

Series Prediction: Rangers in 7