It wasn’t too long ago Rangers coach Alain Vigneault spoke about doing the right thing by J.T. Miller.
For Tuesday night’s 2-1 loss to the Bruins at the Garden, that meant making the 20-year-old forward a healthy scratch for just the second time since he was recalled in mid-October.
“J.T. the last couple games has played good,” Vigneault said before the game, referencing the previous six games in a row Miller had played following his other scratch, Nov. 4 against the Ducks. “But we just feel the best lineup against the Bruins is the lineup we’re dressing. He’s going to play in the near future, just not [Tuesday].”
After the Rangers sent rugged forward Brandon Mashinter back to AHL Hartford on Monday, they were carrying just one extra forward. Once Rick Nash declared he was returning after a 17-game absence with post-concussion symptoms, that left Miller as the odd man out.
“What we expect is a young player with his upside to continue to work on his game and continue to get better,” Vigneault said. “Every game and every day we’re evaluating where he stands and what’s best for the team first, and what’s best for him also.”
For the third straight game, it was defenseman Justin Falk in the lineup over Michael Del Zotto.
Falk ended his 11-game scratch streak on Saturday in Montreal, a 1-0 win over the Canadiens, the Blueshirts’ first victory in Montreal since 2009. He then played the next night at the Garden against the Kings, a 1-0 loss.
“He brings us a safe game,” Vigneault said before Falk made a blunder at his offensive blueline early in the second period, leading to Shawn Thornton’s game-opening score. “What we’ve seen the last couple games is a little bit of bite. So against the Bruins, that’s not a bad thing to have in your lineup.”
Del Zotto has had a tumultuous year, now having been scratched for four of the team’s first 21 games — along with missing a game on Oct. 16 in Washington with the flu. The 6-foot-5 Falk brings some physicality to the lineup, as well, finishing with four hits and four blocked shots.
“To actually go to battle and compete in the games, that’s what we live for,” Falk said. “I’m just trying to stay ready and prepared and give myself the best chance for success.”
Taylor Pyatt (concussion) skated at the Garden before the game, but there is still no timetable for his return.