Thursday, December 9, 2010

Rangers Lineup News: Michael Del Zotto Healthy Scratch; Gilroy In; Lundqvist Start; Prospal and Drury Updates

According to Andrew Gross it has finally happened, Michael Del Zotto has finally been given a game in the press box.  I have written extensively about the Del Zotto struggles and had many different ideas on what to do to with him during these struggle and as recently as last week was calling for this to happen.  Honestly even though I believed it deserved to happen it is still slightly shocking to see Torts actually pull the trigger on the move considering he never even attempted moving him down within the lineup of late.  It will be good for MDZ to watch for at least a game also gives him basically a full week off to have practice, watch tape and see what he can do better since I would expect he gets back in there on Saturday or Sunday.

In place of MDZ will be Matt Gilroy who was playing solid hockey in the absence of Michal Rozsival before immediately being put back in the press box upon Rozi's return.  Expect Gilroy to be paired with Sauer on the third pair while Eminger will move up to the top four and play with either Girardi or Rozsival.

In other news Lundqvist is confirmed as tonight's starter so there goes my idea of getting Biron back in there real quick, though maybe with Columbus struggling some of late Biron still might go Saturday.

Finally in the good news department on injuries Vinny Prospal who has been out the whole year with his right knee injury took part in team skate in full equipment for the first time and Tortorella says that he expects him to be back after Christmas.  This comes a day after Chris Drury took part in a full practice yesterday and is scheduled to have the finger re-examined this Sunday.  Guess I picked a good time to ask if the Rangers were better team without Drury and Propsal on the day they both make more strides to coming back.