Rangers sit Matt Rempe for Game 6 as Jonny Brodzinski draws in
Rangers center Jonny Brodzinski sets before a faceoff against the Canadiens in the first period of an NHL game at Madison Square Garden on Feb. 15. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
SUNRISE, Fla. – Facing elimination from the Eastern Conference final in Game 6 Saturday night at Amerant Bank Arena, Rangers coach Peter Laviolette shook things up, bringing depth forward Jonny Brodzinski into the lineup to replace Matt Rempe, and then radically shuffling his line combinations.
“He's been good all year for us,’’ Laviolette said at the morning skate of Brodzinski. “He brings speed [and he’s] kind of a multifunctional player. He's had a good year.’’
Brodzinski started at center on the fourth line, with Barclay Goodrow moving up to left wing on the third line, with center Filip Chytil and right wing Kaapo Kakko. Alex Wennberg, normally the third-line center, moved up to play right wing on the top line with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider.
Brodzinski, 30, played 57 games in the regular season after being called up in November from AHL Hartford and had six goals and 19 points. But when the playoffs started, Laviolette chose to go with the 6-8 Rempe as his 12th forward, instead of Brodzinski.
Rempe, though, played just 2 minutes, 43 seconds in Game 5, including no shifts in the third period (and four for the entire game), so Laviolette took him out for Game 6.
Brodzinski had played two games previously, both in the second-round series against Carolina, with no points and an average ice time of 8:47.
“I couldn't pick when I'm in the lineup, when I'm not, so just excited to get the opportunity,’’ Brodzinski said after the morning skate. “It is a big moment, so I’m just excited to play.’’
Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
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