This afternoon at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, the Rangers can push their winning streak to ten games.

Now it's up to the New York Rangers.

This afternoon at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Peter Laviolette's skaters personally can underline a point I've been making for more than a week.

Face the facts, this Blueshirt team is la creme de la creme of the National Hockey League.

Facing the Flyers today, they have a nine-game winning streak.

Their 38 wins are the most in the NHL.

They have five players with 40 or more points.

They have the best one-two goalie combination.

They have Adam Fox.

And yet there are doubters.

"I watch the Rangers all the time," says one veteran wire service reporter, "and they feel like a house of cards. Trouble is, I can't pinpoint what it is but I feel that it (trouble) is there."

Former Hockey News Editor In Chief Tom Murray is a daily Ranger-watcher -- and sometimes critic -- who tells me injuries are a concern.

"On the one hand," Murray explains, "injuries to Filip Chytil and Blake Wheeler would make you think they need to trade for a center and right wing.

"But then you have to think about the cost. Frankly, I don't want to see Kaapo Kakko leave and I don't want to see anything that disrupts the room."

Recent victories over the Islanders, Dallas and New Jersey could be interpreted as proof positive of the Rangers excellence; or three teams just waiting to be taken.

That's why John Tortorella's Flyers make for an intriguing foe and test of Blueshirt superiority.

New York's coaching staff of Peter Laviolette, Phil Housley, Michael Peca and Dan Muse is as good as any in the league.

The Law of Averages dictates that the Rangers are due for a defeat.

But skates on the ice should tell you that the better team (Rangers) will win.