TAMPA, Fla.—Martin Biron will get his first start of the season in the Rangers’ nets Saturday night when they play the Lightning here at the Tampa Bay Times Forum. Biron saw about half a game’s worth of action (30:42) on Jan. 20 against the Penguins, when starter Henrik Lundqvist had already given up four goals in the first period and a half.
“Obviously that helps a little bit,” Biron said. “But what we have learned over the past couple years is that it doesn’t matter if you just recently played or if you haven’t played for three weeks. It’s not so much the game action that gets you prepared for the games, it’s the work you put in [during] practice that gets you ready for the games.”
Last season, Biron was a key factor in the team’s run to the Eastern Conference finals, as his 21 regular-season starts enabled Lundqvist to get the most rest he had since his rookie season in 2006-07. In those 21 games, Biron had a 2.46 goals-against average and a .904 save percentage – number that have earned him the respect of the coaching staff.
“We feel really comfortable with how we used our goalies last year,” coach John Tortorella said. “We didn’t stray from that, no matter what was going on. We’re going to do the same thing this year.
“Obviously in a more condensed situation, but we feel we have two good ones there. We feel it helped us in the second half, and if you do get the playoffs, it certainly is going to help us there.”
Biron, 35, is comfortable in his role and has embraced a mentality that forces him to be ready at any time.
“I feel good,” Biron said after the morning skate. “We did our preparation with Benny [goaltending coach Benoit Allaire] this little while getting ready and kind of underlined some points you want to focus on and things you want to do.”
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Rookie forward Chris Kreider will be a scratch for the fifth straight game as he comes back from a bone chip in his right ankle. He took part in the morning skate and is taking it day-to-day.
Defenseman Steve Eminger will be scratched for his third consecutive game after playing three in a row previously. Taking his spot will be Matt Gilroy, getting his second straight game.
Stu Bickel, normally a defenseman, will play fourth-line forward for the third straight game.
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The Lightning are coming off a 8-3 drubbing of the Jets on Friday night and are leading the league with 37 goals through seven games. They lead the league with 14 players having at least one goal. They’ve won five in a row and are 5-0-0 on home ice.
Reigning Rocket Richard winner, Steven Stamkos, is tied for second in the league with 14 points, and Cory Conacher is leading all NHL rookies with 12 points (five goals, seven assists).
Anders Lindback looks to be the starter in nets for the fifth consecutive game.