NHL

Gaborik returning Thursday, but Rangers lose Rozsival for 7-10 days

With the Rangers, if it’s not one shoulder, it’s another.

On the practice day that Marian Gaborik pronounced himself “good to go” for tomorrow night’s Garden match against the Sabres after missing 12 games with the separated left shoulder he sustained Oct. 15, John Tortorella announced that Michal Rozsival would be sidelined for “a week to 10 days” with a strained right shoulder that’s been an issue for a couple of weeks.

“Gabby came to me, which I like,” Tortorella said. “I’m not a big 95-percent, 100-percent guy. It’s, ‘Can you play or not?’ Gabby knows that.

“Getting him back should be a big boost.”

Losing Rozsival will mean increased minutes for Steve Eminger, who will move into the top two pairs, partnering on the right side with either Marc Staal or Michael Del Zotto. And it will mean the chance to play for Matt Gilroy, who has been a healthy scratch the prior five games.

Rozsival is third on the team in ice time at 23:10 per game, behind Dan Girardi (24:32) and Staal (23:31). Del Zotto is fourth at 22:58, meaning that the top two pairs have accounted for nearly 80 percent of the ice time among defensemen.

Eminger has averaged 13:42, but the coach has been very careful about using him and third-pair partner Michael Sauer in the third period.

“Rozy has been playing through a really bad shoulder and it finally came to the point where he can’t handle it and is worrying about hurting the club,” Tortorella said. “He sometimes gets a rough ride, people get on him for not shooting, but he had problems shooting.

“Now with him out, it’s an opportunity for Emmy and for Gilly.”

Losers of two straight at home to drop to 2-5-1 on Broadway and losers of three of their past four overall to drop to 7-7-1, the Rangers will at least get their lone elite goal-scorer back.

“I can’t wait forever,” said Gaborik, who is likely to open with original linemates Erik Christensen and Alex Frolov. “We’ve had trouble winning at home, but we’re going to turn that around starting tomorrow.”