When the Rangers take on the Flyers tonight (7:00; MSG2, WNYM), they will be without one of their top offensive players.
Vinny Prospal, who underwent knee surgery Monday, will be sidelined for up to three weeks. Prospal has scored 32 points, second on the team behind Marian Gaborik’s 49 (26 goals, 23 assists).
“It is what it is. We have to deal with it and get ready for [tonight’s] game,” Gaborik said. “Hopefully we can create some chemistry with whoever is there. We have to find ways to win games without [Prospal].”
The leading candidate to replace Prospal is Chris Higgins.
Higgins, who practiced on a line with Gaborik and Brandon Dubinsky yesterday, will get his shot to impress the coaching staff tonight.
“Higgy is a guy who has done so many good things other than not scoring,” head coach John Tortorella said. “He has done all of the things we asked of him, and has done them very well. He’s played hard, straight ahead, killed penalties, been put on the ice after we’ve scored a goal to have a momentum shift. I hope it ignites him.”
Higgins only has four goals in 37 games this season, but hopefully will be aided by Gaborik and Dubinsky.
“We all know what Higgins brings. He makes great plays and should bring great energy to our line,” said Dubinsky. “Although he hasn’t scored as much as he’d like, he can certainly put the puck on the net and we know that. It’s a good opportunity for him and a good opportunity for us.”
While the Rangers have gone 4-0-1 in their past five games — including a 2-1 win against the Flyers in Philadelphia — they have not fared well this season when a key player was injured. The team went 2-3 without Chris Drury, who missed time in November with a concussion, 1-5 without Wade Redden (shoulder), and 4-9 without Dubinsky (hand).
“Vinny is one of our key playmakers,” Tortorella said. “It is what it is, and it gives other people an opportunity to step up. I always look at it when you lose a key guy, other guys get opportunities. When that key guy comes back, I think your team becomes better, because those people have had opportunities and hopefully they grow.”