Dan Girardi OUT For Game Two; Dylan McIlrath Might Not Be The Replacement

Dan Girardi is officially out for Game Two of the First Round of the New York Rangers matchup with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Girardi played in Game One, and was probably the Rangers' weakest link on defense. As always with the defense, there's a hint of drama:

Girardi is out tomorrow but Vigneault is not saying for sure that McIlrath will be in. NYR only have 6 healthy defensemen now.

— Dan Rosen (@drosennhl) April 15, 2016

I have no idea how Dylan McIlrath wouldn't be the replacement. In the games he played for Girardi at the end of the year he looked solid. And if today's practice lines are any indication (he was paired with Keith Yandle) then that pairing had been a good shut down pairing when they were together at time this year.

Raphael Diaz would probably be the guy if it's not McIlrath -- since Brady Skjei is already in the lineup -- but I'm struggling to see why McIlrath is being punished. I'm also adding an update here that reminds you Vigneault loves (and I mean loves) the games he gets to play in the playoffs with the media. So this might all just be a big elaborate game and McIlrath actually is playing.

Thoughts?