Gerard Gallant stays with same lineup against Penguins; Filip Chytil is a healthy scratch

PITTSBURGH — Rangers coach Gerard Gallant said before Saturday’s 1-0 loss to Pittsburgh that center Filip Chytil, who’d been left out of the lineup for Thursday’s win over the Washington Capitals because he was "under the weather,’’ was available to play against the Penguins.

But Gallant ended up going with the same lineup Saturday as he used Thursday night, meaning Chytil, usually the third-line center, was a healthy scratch.

"He’s fine,’’ Gallant said. "Yeah, just, the team played really well the night before [against Washington].’’

Chytil, 22, has only five goals and seven assists in 41 games. It was the second time this season he’s been a healthy scratch. Without him in the lineup, Gallant used the line of Barclay Goodrow, Kevin Rooney and Ryan Reaves as a checking line, often against Evgeni Malkin’s line, and played rookie Morgan Barron, Greg McKegg and Julien Gauthier together as a fourth line.

He did make a slight tweak to the fourth line, moving McKegg to center and Barron to left wing.

"It’s just the experience thing,’’ Gallant said. "Kegger’s an experienced guy, and we feel with our systems that an experienced guy is better in the middle right now. Barron will be a good centerman down the road, but we’d like him on the wing, too.’’

Blue notes

D Patrik Nemeth’s wife delivered a baby boy, Gallant said before the game. Mother and son are doing well, he said. Nemeth did not make the trip to Pittsburgh . . . D Libor Hajek was the other scratch . . . The power-play goal scored by the Penguins was the first the Rangers had allowed in five games . . . Goodrow and defenseman Jacob Trouba celebrated birthdays Saturday. Goodrow turned 29 and Trouba turned 28.

By Colin Stephenson

colin.stephenson@newsday.comColinSNewsday

Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.