NY Rangers vs. Philadelphia Flyers: Game 7 Preview, TV Info and Prediction
April 29, 2014
A lot of the experts predicted that this series would go seven games, and here we are. The Philadelphia Flyers absolutely dominated the New York Rangers on Tuesday night, and they will look for momentum to roll over for Wednesday night's contest.
The Rangers looked good early but a stupid penalty changed the momentum of the game. Everyone knows what is on the line, so here is everything you need to know before Game 7.
| Date | Final Score | Series Stats/TV Information |
| Thursday, April 17 | NYR 4, PHI 1 | Rangers Lead, 1-0 |
| Sunday, April 20 | PHI 4, NYR 2 | Series Tied, 1-1 |
| Tuesday, April 22 | NYR 4, PHI 1 | Rangers Lead, 2-1 |
| Friday, April 25 | PHI 2, NYR 1 | Series Tied, 2-2 |
| Sunday, April 27 | NYR 4, PHI 2 | Rangers Lead, 3-2 |
| Tuesday, April 29 | PHI 5, NYR 2 | Series Tied, 3-3 |
| Wednesday, April 30 | Flyers at Rangers | MSG, CSN, NBCSN |
Where Can I Watch?
Time: Wednesday, April 30, 7 p.m. ET
Where: Madison Square Garden, New York
TV: NBCSN, MSG, CSN
Key Storylines for Game 7
Game 6 featured the Rangers taking stupid penalties, and the Flyers capitalizing on the power play. Special teams have been a key element during this series, and it will be a major storyline for Game 7.
The Flyers are riding high off an impressive win at home, and the Rangers are looking to put their collapse in Game 6 behind them. They did score two goals to deprive Steve Mason of a shutout, but they didn't have a great effort overall.
Game 7 is going to be full of emotion and passion, and the Rangers will have to stay out of the penalty box if they want to win this series. The one thing in the Rangers' favor is that they are 5-0 lifetime at home in Game 7s, so that is one thing fans can hold onto at this point.
Key Matchup: Special Teams
Simply put, special teams will decide this game. It has given the Flyers an edge, and it cost the Rangers games in this series.
If this game is full of power plays, it benefits the Flyers, because they have been able to capitalize in ways the Rangers haven't.
In an elimination Game 7, the officiating crew will likely let the players play, and for that reason each team will need to make sure they execute during the special teams aspect of the game.
Goaltending Tale of the Tape
Mason had an amazing performance in Game 6, and he will look to harness that in a crucial Game 7. His return to the net has really changed the tide in this series.
Henrik Lundqvist was pulled after allowing four goals on 23 shots in Game 6, and he will look to help the Rangers get back on track in a pivotal Game 7. It feels like each netminder will have to find a way to steal this game, and fans are in for a real treat.
If Lundqvist plays like he has in the past during elimination games, the Rangers will be in good hands, but at this point anything can happen in this series.
Rangers' Projected Lineup
Rick Nash | Derek Stepan | Martin St. Louis
Benoit Pouliot | Derick Brassard | Mats Zuccarello
J.T. Miller | Brad Richards | Carl Hagelin
Brian Boyle | Dominic Moore | Derek Dorsett
Ryan McDonagh | Dan Girardi
Marc Staal | Anton Stralman
John Moore | Kevin Klein
Henrik Lundqvist
Cam Talbot
Flyers' Projected Lineup
Scott Hartnell | Claude Giroux | Jakub Voracek
Michael Raffl | Brayden Schenn | Wayne Simmonds
Matt Read | Sean Couturier | Jason Akeson
Zac Rinaldo | Vincent Lecavalier | Adam Hall
Kimmo Timonen | Braydon Coburn
Mark Streit | Erik Gustafsson
Andrew MacDonald | Luke Schenn
Steve Mason
Ray Emery
Rangers Will Win If...
The Blueshirts will advance to the conference semifinals if they stay disciplined, dominate at even strength and receive contributions from their top players. The Rangers are a superior team during 5-on-5 play, and they need to exploit that.
The power play has struggled mightily, and the Blueshirts need to do their best to make the most of their opportunities. A victory in Game 7 will require a team effort and the Rangers can't afford to take stupid penalties.
The Rangers have a number of players with Game 7 experience, so they should be able to bounce back from their Game 6 debacle. There is too much talent on this roster for them to bow out in the first round, and this game will show what the Rangers are made of.
Flyers Will Win If...
The Flyers will advance to the next round if Mason is as good as he was in Game 6, and if the team continues to capitalize on the Rangers' mistakes. The Flyers played with a lot of passion and fire in Game 6, and there is a chance that could roll over to Game 7.
The key for the Flyers will be channeling that energy early, and playing smart. They are coming off a huge win, but they won't have the benefit of playing in their own building. The Flyers have played solid at MSG thus far, so it is conceivable that they will take care of business in Game 7.
Prediction: New York Rangers 2, Philadelphia Flyers 1
This series really could go either way. The only reason the Rangers are getting the advantage here is because they have never lost a Game 7 at home. The two teams have also alternated wins and losses this series, and the Rangers are due for a win.
This is going to be a very close matchup, and at this point you could flip a coin to decide who has the edge in this series.
