New York Rangers lines will change against the Panthers
The New York Rangers will look to win a game in which two defensemen make their Madison Square Garden return in a different uniform.
After the team’s 4-2 loss against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday night, the New York Rangers will change up their lineup for their Sunday night game against the Florida Panthers.
Sunday night’s game, which’s start time has been switched to 7 o clock, will feature the potential return of center Josh Jooris, who has fully recovered from his separated shoulder injury he suffered on October 26th against the Boston Bruins.
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Head coach Alain Vigneault told reporters at the Rangers practice Saturday morning, “[Jooris] had
said to Rammer before practice that he was good to go. I haven’t followed up on that, I will follow up on it. We have a decision or two to make up front and I will do that from now until the game tomorrow.” He also noted that he wanted to watch the Panthers game on Saturday–an eventual 4-1 Panthers win against the Senators– before he made an official decision. If Jooris comes in the lineup, Oscar Lindberg will be the sacrificial lamb.
Saturday’s lineup will feature some reunited lines for the New York Rangers, as AV will look to go back to the lines who got him there.
Chris Kreider, Derek Stepan and Rick Nash will make up the team’s top line. Michael Grabner, the owner of 11 even strength goals–which leads the league–will be on a line with Kevin Hayes and J.T. Miller per usual. Mika Zibanejad, who seems to be getting his game back on track will be centering a line with Mats Zuccarello and Jimmy Vesey, and the fourth line will consist of Brandon Pirri, Jooris and Jesper Fast.
Lundqvist will get the start in net, and the defensive pairing will remain the same in the return of Keith Yandle and Dylan McIlrath to the Garden.
Pavel Buchnevich is still not close to a return to the lineup, according to AV.
“He came in and wasn’t feeling the way we expected him. Right now we are going to have our doctors take a good look at him. This might be more than just back spasms and we will take a look at this. We will come up with a plan and I will share that plan with you.”
This is something the team will definitely monitor. Don’t be surprised if you see the Rangers putting Buchnevich on IR retroactive to November 13th. This isn’t the first stint of the season where the 21-year-old has missed time due to back spasms. The Rangers would be best served to let Buchnevich take his time to get back to the lineup since this seems to be a reoccurring theme for him.
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