Today at 1 p.m. ET, the New York Rangers (9-8-4, 22 points) and Philadelphia Flyers (8-10-3, 19 points) face-off in the NHL's Thanksgiving Showdown live from the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. The game can be live streamed for free here. New York fans can hear all of the action on ESPN 98.7 while Philadelphia fans can do the same on 97.5 The Fanatic.
New York has won two of its last three games while Philadelphia has dropped two straight games. This is the opening match of a home-and-home as the two will skate against each other again at Madison Square Garden on Saturday in New York City.
The Rangers topped the Flyers 2-0 in the first meeting between these two teams on Nov. 19.
Rangers captain Ryan McDonagh (separated shoulder) will officially return to the team's lineup for this matinee match.
The Blueshirts are coming off of a 4-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday that saw Martin St. Louis make his return to Tampa Bay for the first time since being dealt to the Rangers last spring.
"I've never seen hockey played on that side of the rink," St. Louis told the Rangers website. "I've always been on the other side. It was definitely different for me."
St. Louis (eight goals, nine assists) and Derick Brassard (six tallies, 11 helpers) are tied for second on the team with 17 points. Rick Nash, meanwhile, is tied for second in the NHL with 15 goals thus far this season and paces New York with 23 points.
The Flyers are hoping to avoid a three-game skid and are coming off of a 5-2 loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday.
With Philadelphia struggling, coach Craig Berube cautioned that some changes could be in store.
:"We have eight healthy [defensemen], forwards that are healthy," the coach told CSN Philadelphia. "We're going to make decisions game in and game out."
The Flyers have been paced by Jakub Voracek thus far this season as the forward ranks tied for the NHL lead with 22 assists and second in the league with 30 points.
Claude Giroux, meanwhile, is second in the NHL with 19 assists and has found the back of the net seven times to rank second on the Flyers with 26 points.
In net, Philadelphia is likely to turn to Steve Mason, who is 4-7-2 with a 2.73 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage.
New Yor will counter with Cam Talbot in the crease, and he is 1-2-1 thus far on the campaign with a 2.70 GAA and a .908 save percentage.
It's a Thanksgiving Showdown between two divisional rivals when the Rangers and Flyers take the ice for some matinee action live from the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.
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