The Rangers shuffle off to Buffalo to face the Sabres on Tuesday. New York comes off a 6-4 loss to the Islanders on Sunday and having dropped two of their last three games. Buffalo enters the game off a win and is 4-3-3 in their last 10 as they look to build for the future.
We have discussed that the playoffs are a battle of attrition. For New York, lately the regular season has turned into one. Already without Rick Nash (bone bruise in left leg), the Rangers will also be without Henrik Lundqvist (neck spasms, out third straight game), Marc Staal (back/dehydration, out second straight and third of four games) and Dylan McIlrath (knee, injured Sunday). New York has gotten used to playing without Nash, as he has been sidelined since January 22 and acquisition of Eric Staal. With Lundqvist out, Antti Raanta will be between the pipes again, looking to rebound from a an early blitz by the Isles and questionable late goal. Marc Staal would normally be replaced by McIlrath, but with the big defenseman out, Brady Skjei was promoted and will make his fourth start and appearance of the season; his first since February 23 against the Devils.
What many of us will be watching tonight - besides Jack Eichel - is the line combinations. Will JT Miller skate again on the fourth line as he did Sunday and in practice yesterday? Does the Viktor Stalberg-Eric Staal-Oscar Lindberg trio remain together? Will AV break up the Derick Brassard and Mats Zuccarello combinations? A group that had been so good earlier but has struggled, especially defensively, lately. If Miller stays on the fourth line, that may mean Kevin Hayes remains with Zucc and Brass. As that duo needs a defensive line mate to cover for their issues on that end of the ice, is Hayes really the best fit? Miller or even better, Jesper Fast, due his defensive mindset, would be a more appropriate sidekick for that duo. Maybe move Fast to that line and put Miller with Derek Stepan and Chris Kreider to recreate the All-American line. Regardless of which directions AV goes in, he will be subject to criticism if it goes south.
With McIlrath out and Skjei in, Dan Boyle moves from the left to the right side to be paired with Skjei. Ryan McDonagh and Dan Girardi remain for the first pairing with Keith Yandle-Kevin Klein the second. I will repeat again that Yandle needs to be brought back. We have seen just how valuable he is, earning the additional ice time he should have received earlier in the year. Yandle possesses a skill set lacking on the rest of the blue line.
Lundqvist skated again yesterday and is making progress from his neck injury. The hope is that Lundqvist might be able to play Saturday against Detroit or Sunday at home versus Pittsburgh. Nash, out 19 games during which NY has gone 12-6-1, took part in non-contact drills Monday, and like Lundqvist, there is some hope he will be able to go over the weekend. If that happens, the key questions will be: who does he play with and who is scratched? Nash could line up with Staal and Hayes or maybe Stepan and Kreider or Stepan and Staal. Lots of choices for AV so expect mixing-and-matching early one when Nash does return. The scratch will come from one of Lindberg, Stalberg (who has been excellent lately), Hayes, Miller or Glass. It's clear who the fanbase has chosen, and even though I think Glass has been better of late, he probably makes the most sense to sit.
After tonight's game, as noted above, New York plays Detroit on Saturday and Pittsburgh on Sunday. They then head out for the California trip, with road games versus Ana and LA on back-to-back nights and then San Jose. Upon returning east, the Rangers take on Florida, Boston, Montreal and Pittsburgh. As seen from this list, it's a difficult schedule, making a win in tonight's game even more important.