Flyers have a date with history tonight

IT DOESN'T get much better than a Game 7 in a hockey playoff series. Home teams are 90-59, which does not bode well for the Flyers, who play at the Rangers tonight at 7. The winner moves on to play Pittsburgh, the loser will be left only with chewed-up fingernails.

Here are some facts, figures and other fun stuff in conjunction with the Orange & Black's 15 previous appearances in Game 7.

* The Flyers are a respectable 9-6 overall in Game 7s, including 3-3 on the road. They've won their last two away from Philadelphia (2008 in Washington, 2010 in Boston).

* Bill Sutherland was the first Flyer to score a Game 7 goal. He had the only tally in a 1968 loss to the Blues. Sutherland scored the first regular-season goal in franchise history earlier that season.

* Bernie Parent was the losing goaltender in that 1968 game against St. Louis.

* Rick MacLeish, with four goals in four games, is the Flyers' all-time leading scorer in Game 7s.

* The Flyers have played just one Game 7 against the Rangers, and it was a doozy. Though there were seven goals scored in the 1974 game, won by the Flyers, 4-3, it is best remembered for Dave Schultz pummeling Dale Rolfe in a brutal fight that is arguably the signature moment of the Broad Street Bullies era.

* Gary Dornhoefer scored 19 seconds into a 1975 win over the Islanders, which was preceded by Kate Smith singing "God Bless America."

* Brad Marsh was the captain of the Calgary Flames team that beat the Flyers in a 1981 Game 7 at the Spectrum. Bill Clement, a member of the Flyers' Cup-winning teams, also played for Calgary. Guy Chouinard had two assists for the Flames that day. His son, Eric, played for the Flyers from 2002-06.

* The only playoff season the Flyers played multiple Game 7s was 1987, which included their only Game 7 in a Stanley Cup finals series. Mark Messier, Jari Kurri and Glenn Anderson scored as Edmonton won the Stanley Cup. All three men are in the Hall of Fame. Murray Craven, who had the only goal for the underdog Flyers, is not.

* The Flyers and Capitals have played two Game 7s and both went into overtime. Dale Hunter scored in 1988 as the Caps erased a 3-1 Flyers series lead. Joffrey Lupul scored in 2008 as the Caps began an unprecedented run of losing three consecutive Game 7s at home. That's hard to do.

*  Scott Stevens' open-ice hit on Eric Lindros ended Lindros' Flyers career in a 2000 loss that was the Flyers' first Game 7 since they moved out of the Spectrum.

* When the Flyers swamped the visiting Maple Leafs, 6-1, in 2003 it was the first time since 1950 that Games 6 and 7 were played on consecutive nights. It's the same scenario the Flyers and Rangers are in tonight.

* Tampa Bay beat the Flyers, 2-1, in a gripping Game 7 in 2004 when current Rangers Brad Richards had two assists and Martin St. Louis had one. Current Flyer Vinny Lecavalier, who did not score in that game, also played for Tampa.

* The Flyers beat the Bruins in a 2010 game to win a series they had trailed, 3-0. They even trailed Game 7, 3-0, but remarkably fought back. Simon Gagne scored the game-winner.

* Brian Boucher made 26 saves as the Flyers beat Buffalo in 2011. Boucher (1-1 record), Ron Hextall (1-2) and Bernie Parent (3-1) are the only goalies to start multiple Game 7s for the Flyers.

* There has never been a shutout in a Flyers Game 7.

* The Rangers are 6-5 in Game 7, including 3-0 in the last two playoff seasons. And are 5-0 all-time in Game 7s at the Garden. Buckle up.

FLYERS' GAME 7 GOALS

PlayerNo. PlayerNo.

Rick MacLeish. . . 4 Mark Howe. . . 1

Gary Dornhoefer. . . 3 Kim Johnsson. . . 1

Brian Propp. . . 3 Sami Kapanen. . . 1

Bill Barber. . . 2 Tim Kerr. . . 1

Mel Bridgman. . . 2 Orest Kindrachuk. . . 1

Danny Briere. . . 2 Claude Lapointe. . . 1

Simon Gagne. . . 2 Reggie Leach. . . 1

Brad Marsh. . . 2 Ville Leino. . . 1

Mark Recchi. . . 2 Ross Lonsberry. . . 1

Ilkka Sinisalo. . . 2 Joffrey Lupul. . . 1

J. van Riemsdyk. . . 2 Scott Mellanby. . . 1

Dave Brown. . . 1 Dave Poulin. . . 1

Mike Bullard. . . 1 Keith Primeau. . . 1

Dan Carcillo. . . 1 Don Saleski. . . 1

Braydon Coburn. . . 1 Bill Sutherland. . . 1

Murray Craven. . . 1 Rick Tocchet. . . 1

Moose Dupont. . . 1 Scottie Upshall. . . 1

Scott Hartnell. . . 1 Justin Williams. . . 1

Notable zero goals

Bobby Clarke (three assists)

Claude Giroux (three assists)

Mike Richards (three assists)

John LeClair (two assists)

Eric Lindros (one game)

FLYERS' GAME 7 GOALTENDERS

GoalieW-L Goalie W-L

Bernie Parent. . . 3-1 Brian Boucher. . . 1-1

Martin Biron. . . 1-0 Ron Hextall. . . 1-2

R. Cechmanek. . . 1-0 Robert Esche. . . 0-1

M. Leighton. . . 1-0 Rick St. Croix. . . 0-1

Ken Wregget. . . 1-0