7:42 PM: Julien Gauthier moves up to skate with Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck and Ryan Reaves comes in on the fourth line. (MSG)
5:32 PM: Gerard Gallant spoke earlier today before tonight’s game against Nashville and said (NYR):
- On Vitali Kravtsov not playing because of a stomach bug, “yea, he’s had a tough go, he has the flu today. Doesn’t feel too well right now.”
- Thursday was probably his best game of the season, “He played well, did a good job, our whole team played well, but he definitely had some good scoring chances and good looks. He’s had a tough go, but it’s only early in the year.”
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- Is he possible for tomorrow, “I have no idea. I just heard he was sick. I’m sure he’ll come in here and the trainers will look at him and see how he feels. That is all I know.”
- Any lineup changes, “Someone is going in for him. We’re not 100% sure right now who and we’ll decide what we’re going to do with the lines and who we are going to put in there.”
- Halak in net, “Yep.”
- On Libor Hajek scoring a goal the other night, “It doesn’t change nothing, he’s played real good hockey. His teammates were happy, we’re happy to see him score, but it doesn’t change. We don’t want Libor coming out here looking like ‘I gotta score a goal tonight.’ That is not what we want from Libor, we want him to play solid like he’s played lately and that is why he’s still playing. He’s done a good job and we’re really happy with his performance.”
- On Halak, “He’s played real well. Three of the four games he played great hockey for us and gave us a chance to win every one of them. Obviously the one was a tough game, but the three other games he played great hockey and that is what we expect. He’s a good veteran goalie and he deserved better to be honest with you.”
- On Julien Gauthier, “He looks really good ever since we called him up, he’s played good hockey and good minutes and found a way to put the puck in the net a little bit. I’m really happy with him and good for him, he deserves a good opportunity and he’s taken advantage of it.”