WASHINGTON — Michael Del Zotto will return to the Rangers’ lineup for Monday night’s match here against the Capitals as a replacement on the blue line for Dan Girardi, who won’t be able to go after sustaining a rib cage muscle injury Saturday night in Atlanta in a second-period fight with Andrew Ladd.
“I don’t think Danny will be able to get through the game, and I don’t want to be shorthanded after 10 minutes,” John Tortorella said following the morning skate in which the defenseman participated at the Capitals’ practice rink in Arlington, Va.
“He’s really not where he should be, and I don’t want to take a chance on prolonging it.”
The coach made it clear Del Zotto, who was sent to the AHL Whale on Jan. 2 and was recalled late Saturday, is with the club only because of Girardi’s injury.
“To be honest, I’d rather he still be playing there, but in the situation we’re in, he’s the guy,” Tortorella said. “The reports I’ve gotten, he’s been good sometimes and bad sometimes [with the Whale], a little inconsistent.
“We’ll see.”
Brandon Prust, who missed Saturday’s third period with a bruised right instep he suffered blocking a Dustin Byfuglien shot in the first period, did not skate Monday morning but is expected to play.
“I should be good to go,” Prust said. “It’s just pain, I can play through it.”
If Prust is in the lineup, Tortorella said he would choose between Evgeny Grachev, also recalled late Saturday, and Brodie Dupont, who played his first NHL game in Atlanta after his recall last Wednesday, for the final forward spot.
Presuming Prust plays, he, Sean Avery, Marc Staal, Derek Stepan, Brian Boyle, Artem Anisimov and goaltenders Henrik Lundqvist and Martin Biron, in net Monday night, will be the only Rangers not to have missed a game this year because of injury.
Following Monday’s match, the Rangers will face the Panthers at home Tuesday in their final game before the All-Star break. Ryan Callahan, out since Dec. 15 with a broken hand, reaffirmed after skating Monday he expects to play next Tuesday when the schedule resumes with a Garden showdown against Pittsburgh.
“I don’t think any team in the league needs the break more than we do right now,” Prust said.