Tonight at 7:00 p.m. ET, the New York Rangers (2-5-0) and Philadelphia Flyers (1-7-0) go head-to-head live from Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. The game can be live streamed here. New York fans can hear all the action by turning their dials to WEPN 98.7 FM while Philadelphia fans can do the same by adjusting their radios to 97.5 FM the Fanatic
These two Metropolitan Division rivals have had a rough start to their campaigns as the Rangers have won just two out of seven games on their season-opening nine-game road trip while the Flyers have won just one game out of eight. The Rangers are seventh in the division with four points while Philadelphia is last with two for the least amount of points in the NHL.
The Rangers have struggled while coming off of a 4-0 loss Saturday to the New Jersey Devils, and will be without goaltender Henrik Lundqvist due to an undisclosed ailment that the club has called a "minor issue," so 26-year-old Cam Talbot will get the start in net for the Rangers and make his NHL debut.
"I have been waiting a long time for this, working towards this, so I'll be ready [when] I get the call," Talbot told NHL.com. "I am extremely excited."
Added head coach Alain Vigneault per NHL.com: "I basically told [Talbot] he's in, to enjoy it. He's obviously been waiting for this opportunity a long time and he's played real well so far this year at our training camp and in Hartford [American Hockey League], so he's ready for this opportunity."
The Flyers, meanwhile hope that a week off will give the team the type of edge to its game that it needs after a horrendous start to the season. Their netminder thus far is Steve Mason, who has posted a 1-5-0 record with a 2.37 goals-against average and a .923 save percentage.
Philadelphia isn't sure if Vincent Lecavalier will play Thursday as he recovers from a lower-body injury, but the team has moved him to the wing after he played center for his entire 14-year NHL career. Lecavalier is a game-time decision, but the team moved his position so that he'd be on the same line as captain Claude Giroux. Giroux was flanked by Lecavalier and Michael Raffl in the team's practice Tuesday.
"It was my first time in my career that I played the wing," Lecavalier said via NHL.com. "But I feel really comfortable on the right side and I feel there are more plays I can do playing on the off wing. Playing with [Giroux], he's a special player. He's a guy who can get you the puck. I thought things went well today."
Both of these teams have struggled offensively as the Rangers highest scorers are Brad Richards (4-3-7) and Derek Stepan (0-5-5) while the Flyers largest scorer, Brayden Schenn, has just five points on two goals and three assists.
The Rangers will be without Ryan Callahan (broken thumb), Rick Nash (concussion) and Carl Hagelin (shoulder) tonight.
Two teams in desperate need of points each look for a win when the Rangers and Flyers hit the ice tonight.
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