After sweeping their back-to-back contests this weekend and two days off, the Rangers return to action against the Ducks in Tuesday. Anaheim lost 5-3 to New Jersey yesterday in Adam Henrique’s return to face his old squad (anyone else get sick to their stomach at the end of the Devils’ tribute to Henrique when they showed his ECF GWG?). Following tonight’s game, the Rangers take on Nee Jersey in Thursday and then are in Toronto on Saturday before the Xmas break.
Mika Zibanejad returns to the lineup after missing nine games due to a concussion. New York went 5-3-1 while he was sidelined. David Desharnais, who centered the first line while Zib was out, will remain in the lineup. Sitting will be Boo Nieves, despite his fine work on the fourth line. AV gave the following reasons for Desh being in, though never said why Nieves was out (quotes from the SNYRangersblog:
On Desharnais staying in the lineup, "I thought that in the 9 games that he stepped in for Mika, David played well. That line was effective, it had some better nights than others but he stepped in there and Kreids and Buchhie had some very good games and very good looks. With Mika back, I want to put him back with Kreids and Buchie, there is some good chemistry there. For tomorrow's game I decided to keep Davey in."On Desharnais playing in a different role, "there is no doubt that Kreids and Buchie are good players but I also think that Jimmy and Paul are good players. If you have looked, for most of the games we have played lately, every forward and D, their minutes were spread out and that there was energy in the tank and that guys could go out and play. I think that is one of the reasons why we have had some success in that challenging time, we used our bench, used our 6 defense and had the energy to get it done. Davey, with Jimmy and Paul, I expect that to be an effective line for us. You look at the games that we win and it's a four line team, team oriented. That is how we win, we need contributions from everyone in our lineup."
I have defended AV in the past, but this move to me makes absolutely no sense. The fourth line finally has built chemistry, driving possession while providing energy, allowing the coach to roll four lines, as he loves doing. You have a big, physical player, which is needed against a big team like Anaheim, especially when Ryan Getzlaf is on the ice. Yet you sit him for Desh, who while he played well enough in place of Zib, he did so on the top line and showed in the past that he was not that well-suited to fourth line duty. This is not a knock on Desh; there is a role for him on this team. But reward the younger player, especially since he has done nothing to lose his job. Nieves should be in the lineup plain and simple.