Return to New York special for Del Zotto

The Flyers will have plenty of motivation when they face the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden Wednesday for the first time since they lost Game 7 in last season's opening playoff round.

Defenseman Michael Del Zotto, however, will have a different kind of incentive than that season-ending defeat.

Del Zotto, who has been one of the Flyers' best defensemen, will be facing New York for the first time since the Rangers gave up on him and dealt him to Nashville last January.

"Any competitive person or athlete has to prove something," said Del Zotto, who spent almost five up-and-down seasons with the Rangers and was 12th in the Norris voting for the league's best defenseman in 2011-12. "That's just the competitive nature in you. But that's something I have not done a lot of thinking about. I'm not worried about what they think of me. I'm here with the Philadelphia Flyers and thrilled to be here."

Coach Craig Berube talked to Del Zotto about playing his game and not getting too emotional.

Brayden Schenn said the Flyers want rally around Del Zotto like Columbus did around Scott Hartnell when he returned to the Wells Fargo Center in their 4-3 win over the Flyers last Friday.

"He spent some good years in New York, and I'm sure it didn't end the way he wanted it," Schenn said. ". . ..It gives us a little extra motivation to go out there and try to help him out and try to win the game."

The Rangers (7-7-4), coming off a 5-1 loss to Tampa Bay, are without their best defenseman, Ryan McDonagh, who suffered a separated shoulder Nov. 1.

After the Hockey Hall of Fame's board of directors clarified the bylaw involving a three-year waiting period for eligibility, it paves the way for former Flyer Chris Pronger to be nominated in April and elected in June.