NHL Game Preview: Philadelphia Flyers (4-9-4) vs. New York Rangers (8-7-1)

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New York Rangers logo

Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET
Venue: Madison Square Garden, New York, New York

This is the first of four meetings this season between the Metropolitan Division rivals. The Rangers have dominated recent history, winning three of four games last season and holding a strong mark in the past 15 meetings.

Records, Standings & Recent Form

Philadelphia Flyers: 4-9-4 (12 points), near the bottom of the Metropolitan Division. Struggling offensively (league-worst range ~2.18 GF/G) and allowing ~3.35 GA/G. Last 10: approximately 4-4-2. They enter after a 4-2 home loss to Minnesota on Nov. 3. Road record is poor (around 1-5-1). Power play mid-to-low (~16.7%), PK around average-to-solid (~81%). They have shown some process improvements under Rick Tocchet but results remain inconsistent after an 0-6-3 start.

New York Rangers: 8-7-1 (17 points), around 3rd in the Metropolitan. More balanced (~3.00 GF/G, ~2.94 GA/G). Last 10: roughly 4-5-1. They bounced back with a 3-1 win over St. Louis on Nov. 3 after a skid. Strong at home (tied for league lead in home wins/points in some tracking) with elite PK (league-best ~90.4%). Faceoff percentage is strong. They head into a Western Conference road trip after this game.

The Rangers hold clear edges in record, home performance, special teams (especially PK), and overall structure. The Flyers generate less offense and have struggled on the road.

Injury Reports

Philadelphia Flyers:

Rasmus Ristolainen (D): IR/out (upper body/hand; missed recent games, possible return around mid-November).

Nikita Grebenkin (RW/F): IR (back; longer-term, multi-month absence).

New York Rangers:

Igor Shesterkin (G): Out for season/IR-LT (lower body/knee).

Joonas Korpisalo (G): IR/out (lower body/foot; near-term return possible around Nov. 9).

Joseph Veleno (C/F): IR-LT (lower body).

Sean Durzi (D): Day-to-day (undisclosed).

Adam Sykora (LW) and others: Out (lower body or undisclosed, longer-term).

Goaltending is a major story for the Rangers without Shesterkin.

The Flyers are missing a key defenseman and depth forward.

Key Player Matchups & Leaders / Projected Rosters

Flyers leaders: Trevor Zegras (points), Matvei Michkov (goals leader, productive), Travis Konecny, Christian Dvorak, Travis Sanheim/Jamie Drysdale (defense). Goalies: Joseph Woll and Dan Vladar (both with middling-to-struggling numbers).

Rangers leaders: Adam Fox (points among defensemen, assist leader), Alexis Lafrenière, Mika Zibanejad, J.T. Miller, Pavel Dorofeyev. Goalies: Dylan Garand (carrying the load with solid recent form) and James Reimer.

Key matchups:

Michkov/Zegras/Konecny offense vs. Rangers’ elite PK and Fox-led blue line.

Zibanejad/Lafrenière/Miller lines vs. Flyers’ depleted defense (without Ristolainen).

Special teams: Rangers’ top-ranked PK vs. Flyers’ improving but still modest PP; Flyers’ PK vs. Rangers’ opportunities.

Transition and middle ice: Rangers’ structure and home energy vs. Flyers’ young skill pieces.

Goaltending: Garand (or Reimer) vs. Woll/Vladar in a potential lower-to-mid scoring game.

Projected lines

Flyers: Zegras–Dvorak–Konecny; Foerster–Cates–Michkov (or variations with Barkey/Tippett/Martone); depth with Couturier, Acciari, Knuble. D pairs featuring Sanheim–Drysdale, York–Bonk, Seeler–Benoit. Goalie lean toward Woll or Vladar.

Rangers: Dorofeyev–Zibanejad–Lafrenière; Kartye–Miller–Perreault; Tolvanen–Cuylle–Bjorkstrand; depth including Rempe. D featuring Gavrikov–Fox, Pettersson–Schneider. Goalie expected to be Garand.

Series History

Rangers have the recent edge (strong mark in the last 15 meetings; 3-1 last season). First meeting of 2026-27.

Game Odds

Philadelphia Flyers         6

New York Rangers           – 145

Odds Courtesy of Sports Odd Direct as of Wednesday, November 4, 2026

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