Del Zotto takes Eminger's place
With Steve Eminger a healthy scratch for the first time in 21 games Tuesday and Michael Del Zotto stepping in, Dan Girardi was the elder statesman of the blue line at age 26.
"He's been fighting it a bit of late," coach John Tortorella said of Eminger, 27, who has played in 49 games, with one goal, three assists and a minus-8, the worst plus-minus on the team. "He's just chipped down a bit . . . He's been a warrior for us, taken hits to make plays." Eminger is second on the team in blocked shots with 88.
Del Zotto, who had played the previous two games subbing for Dan Girardi (ribs) after playing 10 games in the AHL, partnered with Matt Gilroy. Tortorella was hoping that Del Zotto would add more puck movement to the power play.
Avery back to fourth line
With Brandon Dubinsky and Ryan Callahan back, Sean Avery was dropped to the fourth line after recording four assists in five games and averaging more than 17 minutes in those games. "He has done nothing wrong," Tortorella said. "These players are going to play in front of him. I'm sure he's a little frustrated. But he knows as well as I that things change quickly around here."
Blue notes
D Ryan McDonagh hasn't hit the wall that many collegians run into during their first NHL season. "It's been the most I've ever played, no doubt," said McDonagh, who left the University of Wisconsin a year early, "if you include training camp, the Traverse City [tournament], the AHL [38 games] and now here [12 games]. But I feel fine. It's the adrenaline of playing in the NHL." . . . Evgeny Grachev was returned to the AHL. He was summoned from Connecticut on Monday.