Ex-Rangers Defenseman Erik Gustafsson returns to the ice tonight with the Red Wings
Photo credit: The Hockey Writers
The New York Rangers will take on the Detroit Red Wings in Little Caesar's Arena tonight. They will face two familiar faces, in former Rangers goalie Cam Talbot, and ex-defenseman Erik Gustafsson.
Gustafsson was a healthy scratch the last two Red Wings, games and will look to stay in the lineup after tonight.
He'll have to find a way to get on the scoresheet, create scoring chances, or find a way to catch Derek Lalonde's eye.
The defenseman signed a two-year, $4 Million total deal in Hockeytown, as part of the Yzerplan.
During the start of the season, he'd play 20 minutes against the Detroit Red Wings, and only post an assist that night, in a 6-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Lalonde wasn't happy with the veteran's play and removed him from the lineup, for the last two games.
«I think he wanted more out of his five on five game in Game 1,» Lalonde told reporters Wednesday. «And in reality, we talked about Justin [Holl] getting an opportunity and Albert Johansson an opportunity, and we put together two really good defensive games, team games, when he was out. So, it's a little bit of this. A little bit of that.»
The Red Wing's power play has been 0-6, without him in the lineup, and 1-11 this season. Gustafsson has been Shayne Gostisbehere's replacement as a power-play quarterback in the Red Wings lineup.
The reason Lalonde has had to bring him back into the Wings roster tonight against the Rangers.
«I think [Thursday] will be a good day to get �Goose' back in, especially with the power play and still working with power play,» Lalonde explained. «Obviously it's frustrating. We only have the one goal and we've needed it. I think a couple of those games could look a little different with finishing on the power play.»
Can Gustafsson and the Red Wings put up a point against the Rangers, who've handily shut down the team's power-play units?
It seems they'll have to create pressure in the offensive zone, and not let the Rangers gain control of the neutral zone. Until then, it seems like a rush move for Lalonde, but it could pay off.
They'll need more than seven shots on one power play this season to strike against the dominant Rangers.
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