As Rangers coach Alain Vigneault shuffled his lines, talented 22-year-old Russian winger Pavel Buchnevich fell to the fourth line. That has limited Buchnevich’s ice time in each of the past two games, as the Rangers are 1-5-2 to start the season with the Predators coming to the Garden for a Saturday matinee.
But Buchnevich’s skills were on display Thursday late in a 4-3 shootout loss to the Islanders, when Vigneault shortened his bench and put either Mika Zibanejad or J.T. Miller as the fourth-line center in place of Adam Cracknell, with Michael Grabner on the left wing.
“When I shortened up the bench, I thought [Buchnevich’s] line with Grabs was real effective,” Vigneault said after practice Friday, when the lines and defensive pairs stayed the same as they have been. “They had some real good minutes in the offensive zone.
“Butchie is a young player. Played [41] games last year, is learning to become a pro, is learning to be consistent. He’s still out on the ice with our first power-play unit. He’s got a tremendous amount of skill and he’s going to get better for us.”
Vigneault found an interesting way to describe the start of Rick Nash’s season. The alternate captain has been a force — fourth among forwards with 34 shots on goal going into Friday with just one goal to show for it.
“He’s a beast, he’s the image of our team right now,” Vigneault said. “He’s working his bag off, he’s getting tons of scoring chances and he’s only got one goal. Do I go to Rick and say he’s got to do more?
“Finishing is the end result, but I believe if you do the right things, the right reward and right outcome it will come. I believe for Rick, like the rest of our group, the right outcome is going to come.”
Henrik Lundqvist is set to get the start in goal Saturday, his third straight start and eighth out of the first nine games of the season.
Defenseman Brendan Smith said he still couldn’t believe his third-period goal Thursday was taken off the scoreboard after a video review determined he kicked it in.
“I did watch it, and I was more frustrated after watching it,” Smith said. “I knew in my heart that I didn’t kick it, and that’s what makes it hard. … It’s like a flip of a coin now with these calls.”