Bad news right before game time: Chris Pronger will not play tonight. In his place, Danny Syvret will dress. Nobody really knows what is wrong with Pronger, as earlier today GM Paul Holmgren said he was okay. At this point, any reasons for his absence would be speculation.
While it does not make up for Pronger’s absence, the good news is that Zac Rinaldo will not play as Jody Shelley returns to the lineup. It’s a strange day when one is happy to see Shelley play in the playoffs, but when he comes in for Rinaldo, it is good news.
These moves make Peter Laviolette’s matchups even more important, as he will have to rely on his top-4 defensemen while hiding his bottom two. Puck is about to drop, so get ready.