Chris Kreider Returns Tonight for the Rangers, Oscar Lindberg Scratched
Kreider returns to the lineup for the Rangers at the expense of Oscar Lindberg.
On Lindberg scratch, AV says Oscar is playing well but he likes fourth line chemistry and he has a LW (Kreider) that needed to be in.
— Andrew Gross (@AGrossRecord) January 11, 2016 Chris Kreider makes his return to the Rangers after missing two games with a cut on top of his hand. Kreider plugging back into the lineup means that another forward had to watch tonight's game in street clothes and Alain Vigneault has chosen Oscar Lindberg to be that player instead of Tanner Glass.
"Our fourth line is getting a little bit of chemistry and Hayes I thought had two good games his last two outings, and we've got a left winger [Kreider] coming in," Vigneault said. "Oscar has played well, but I want to get [Kreider] in."
Why Vigneault has chosen the chemistry on the Rangers' fourth line over Oscar Lindberg remaining in the lineup after he scored his first goal since December 3rd is just one debatable decision made by New York's bench boss.
Prior to leaving the Rangers' lineup with his hand injury, Kreider had just one goal in his last nine games and has six goals in 39 games this season after a 21 goal season in 2014-15. Saying that the American-born winger has had a disappointing season is hardly a controversial statement. Many had pegged Kreider to be one of the Rangers' most productive offensive players this season and his inconsistent scoring, lack of discipline, and lack of hockey intelligence away from the puck have had many Rangers fans and analysts questioning their faith in the former Boston College standout.
Hopefully in his brief time watching his teammates something will have clicked for the 24 year old winger. It's no secret that the Rangers are in need of some more offense and pace to their game and Kreider has shown in the past that he can bring that to the Blueshirts' lineup. Which Chris Kreider will see for the remainder of January?
The puck drops tonight at Madison Square Garden at 7 PM when the Rangers lock horns with the Boston Bruins.
Thanks for reading. Let's go Rangers.
