New York @ Philadelphia preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 26, 2019 ) Philadelphia 1, NY Rangers 2

The Philadelphia Flyers have won three in a row and nine of their last 13 to keep competitive in the top-heavy Metropolitan Division. The Flyers look to continue their strong play on Monday when they host the New York Rangers in the teams' final game before the NHL holiday break.

James van Riemsdyk recorded his second straight two-goal performance in the Flyers' 5-4 victory over Ottawa, giving the club momentum as it returns to the City of Brotherly Love where it sports an 11-2-4 record this season. Philadelphia had won six straight against the New York Rangers before the latter skated away with a 3-0 victory on March 31. Alexandar Georgiev finished that contest with 29 saves and could draw the start after Henrik Lundqvist turned aside 19 shots as the Rangers snapped a three-game skid with a 5-1 victory over Anaheim on Sunday. "It's a big win for us but we have to turn the page quick because we've got a four-point game (on Monday)," Chris Kreider said after his two-goal performance versus the Ducks.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network, MSG2 (New York), NBCS Philadelphia

ABOUT THE RANGERS (17-14-4): Artemi Panarin carries a seven-game point streak (seven goals, four assists) into Monday's tilt versus Philadelphia, against which he has registered a point in each of his last six contests (three goals, nine assists). Fellow forward Mika Zibanejad is riding a five-game point streak (five goals, four assists) and has 15 points (eight goals, seven assists) in 13 contests since returning to the lineup. Kreider traditionally has been a thorn in the Flyers' side, securing a point in 13 of 22 career games.

ABOUT THE FLYERS (20-11-5): Kevin Hayes was slow to pay dividends after signing a seven-year contract with Philadelphia in the offseason, but he's coming along fine now. The 27-year-old scored against the Senators and has five points (one goal, four assists) in four games entering Monday's contest against the Rangers, with whom he played parts of five seasons. Hayes previously played under current Flyers coach Alain Vigneault when the latter served as the Rangers' bench boss for five seasons (2013-18), posting a 226-147-37 record.

OVERTIME

1. New York sports a 5-1-2 record in its last eight road games.

2. Flyers captain Claude Giroux has 48 points (10 goals, 38 assists) in 53 career games versus the Rangers.

3. New York rookie F Kaapo Kakko sat out on Sunday and is considered day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

PREDICTION: Rangers 4, Flyers 2