(SportsNetwork.com) - The New York Rangers will try to win for the second time in as many games on their current homestand as they welcome the rival Philadelphia Flyers to Madison Square Garden.
Following a solid road victory over the defending champion Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday, the Rangers began a four-game residency with a 3-2 win over the Dallas Stars. It was New York's second straight win and improved the club to 5-1-1 in its last seven games.
Rich Nash scored the game-winning goal with 1:58 left in regulation. He put home the rebound of Chris Kreider's shot on net, placing the puck into the upper left corner of the net while falling to the ice to give New York its first lead of the game.
"He is playing great," said netminder Henrik Lundqvist of Nash. "He is so strong with the puck and that goal was huge for us to get that win at home."
Lundqvist had 24 saves and both Ryan Callahan and Derick Brassard lit the lamp. Brad Richards added two assists.
"It was a grind," said Rangers head coach Alain Vigneault afterward. "It was a hard game to get momentum, to get flow. The guys had to stay focused and I thought for the most part we played pretty solid."
The Rangers, who also host Tampa Bay and Detroit, will try to extend a six- game home winning streak over the Flyers, having not lost at MSG in this series since Feb. 20, 2011.
Philadelphia, though, has won two straight since dropping 11 of 12 in the series, winning the first of four encounters this season with New York thanks to a 2-1 decision at home on Oct. 24.
Braydon Coburn had the winner for the Flyers and Steve Mason made 30 saves.
Richards had New York's only goal and Cam Talbot made 25 saves in his NHL debut with Lundqvist out with an injury.
Lundqvist is 25-12-3 with a 2.52 goals against average in 42 career meetings with the Flyers, posting four shutouts.
Philadelphia will aim to rebound tonight after having a 10-game home winning streak snapped with Saturday's 6-3 setback to the Tampa Bay Lightning. It was the Flyers' first home loss since Nov. 7 and just their second defeat in their last nine games overall.
Jakub Voracek scored twice, Wayne Simmonds had a goal and Claude Giroux notched two assists in defeat.
Mason faced 17 shots and allowed five goals -- four of those in the second period -- and was lifted at the start of the third in favor of Ray Emery, who stopped all seven shots he faced.
"Second period we gave up three, four odd-man rushes and they scored on three of them. That's basically it," said Flyers head coach Craig Berube. "We just didn't play smart for about seven, eight minutes in the second."
It is unknown if Mason or Emery will start tonight, though both have solid career numbers versus the Rangers.
Mason is 3-0-1 with a 2.48 GAA in five previous starts against them, while Emery has gone 7-1-0 with a 1.62 GAA in nine games (8 starts).
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