There was still some mystery to the circumstances because Steve Eminger also skated in the New York Rangers’ pregame skate, but it’s official: the Blueshirts will have Brian Boyle back for Game 2 against the Washington Capitals, according to Katie Strang.
That’s a “big” addition both literally and figuratively. Boyle is one of the largest forwards in the Eastern Conference and while he had a disappointing regular season, the former Los Angeles Kings first-round pick was frequently a catalyst for New York in the skin-tight Ottawa Senators series. (Well, he was until he suffered a concussion, that is.)
Boyle will take Eminger’s spot in the lineup while Strang reports that the Capitals will tweak their defense, with Jeff Schultz in and John Erskine out. Chances are that Semin’s temporary slap on the wrist will probably be a bigger deal than that smaller lineup tweak for Washington, though.