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New York Rangers Tickets Highest Priced In NHL For 1st Round Series Against Flyers

(TiqIQ/CBS) - The New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers are paired up for the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs this year. The two teams had fairly similar seasons as both struggled early, but managed to right the ship and emerge out of a tightly packed bunch in the Metropolitan division. The rivals split their regular season matchups 2-2, each winning a game on the road and at home. The Rangers, however, edged the Flyers out in total points for the season, finishing two points above Philadelphia, giving the Rangers home-ice advantage in this series. The first game will come Thursday night at Madison Square Garden.

The regular season matchups between these two rivals were above each team’s respective home average, and the playoffs only enhance that. New York Rangers playoff tickets are the most expensive in the league with an average price of $433.15 for games at The Garden, almost double the $218.95 price it took to see these two teams play at MSG during the regular season.

There is a similar increase in Philadelphia at the Wells Fargo Center. During the regular season, the two games between these teams had an average price of $97.75. For the playoffs, prices have almost doubled to a $185.68 average price. Overall, the Rangers and Flyers saw the fifth and sixth largest price increases from the regular season average of all playoff teams. Rangers playoff tickets are 141 percent higher than their regular season average, and Flyers playoff tickets are 115 percent higher.

The two teams will bring contrasting styles to the ice. The Flyers are one of the top scoring teams in the league, ranking eighth with 2.8 goals per game and seventh with a power play success rate of 19.8 percent. On the flip side, the Rangers rank fourth in the NHL only allowing 2.3 goals a game, and have the third best penalty kill.

Claude Giroux has been his usual dominant self for the Flyers, ranking third in the NHL with 86 points. They are one of the more physical teams in the league, and have done a good job of knocking the Rangers off their game in the past. The Rangers, though, are faster, better defensively and have the goaltending edge. Defenseman Ryan McDonagh also blossomed into a top two-way defenseman, leading the Rangers' top defensive pair, and chipping in 43 points which ranks fifth of the team.

Since these two teams are no strangers to each other on the ice, it's not surprising the playoff prices would increase once the Flyers showed up on the Rangers' playoff schedule. As the most expensive first round series, there's a good chance the play on ice meets the expectations set by the ticket price.

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