NEW YORK -- Rangers captain Ryan Callahan will miss Sunday afternoon's contest with the Boston Bruins due to a bruised foot, the third straight game Callahan will sit out.

Rangers defenseman Michael Del Zotto, who was absent from Friday's 4-3 overtime loss to the Lightning due to a hip injury, is back after a one-game absence.

Forward Ruslan Fedotenko took a shot off his left foot during the first period of Friday's game and sat out practice Saturday along with defenseman Dan Girardi, but both will be in the lineup against the Bruins.

Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist will get the start in search of his 31st win of the season.

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NEW YORK -- There was just no room at the wing for Wojtek Wolski.

That's what Rangers coach John Tortorella said Saturday evening before his team faced the Buffalo Sabres. Wolski was dealt to the Florida Panthers earlier in the day for a third-round pick in the 2012 draft and a prospect.

“This year, through his injuries, and then (Carl) Hagelin comes up and plays, (John) Mitchell comes up and plays, we just run out of spots,” Tortorella told a room full of reporters at Madison Square Garden.

“He’s a good guy, I wish him the best. It’s best for him. Our lineup evolved and there just weren’t any spots.”

Wolski underwent sports hernia surgery in November and played just three games upon his return. The 26-year-old has been out of the lineup since Jan. 15 and spent time playing for the AHL's Connecticut Whale in an effort to stay sharp.

The Rangers will employ the same lineup as they did Friday night in a 4-3 shootout loss to the Islanders, but Henrik Lundqvist will be in net. Look for the Sabres to ice the same group as they did in their 2-1 shootout win against the Bruins on Friday, but there's no definitive word on which goaltender Lindy Ruff will start.

RANGERS

Artem Anisimov - Derek Stepan - Marian Gaborik
Carl Hagelin - Brad Richards - Ryan Callahan
Brandon Dubinsky - Brian Boyle - Brandon Prust
Michael Rupp - John Mitchell - Ruslan Fedotenko

Ryan McDonagh - Dan Girardi
Michael Del Zotto - Anton Stralman
Marc Staal - Stu Bickel

Henrik Lundqvist
Martin Biron

SABRES

Thomas Vanek - Derek Roy - Jason Pominville
Tyler Ennis - Ville Leino - Drew Stafford
Nathan Gerbe - Paul Gaustad - Patrick Kaleta
Matt Ellis - Zack Kassian - Corey Tropp

Jordan Leopold - Tyler Myers
Robyn Regher - Jordan Leopold
Christian Ehrhoff - Mike Weber

Ryan Miller
Jhonas Enroth

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NEW YORK -- Henrik Lundqvist is back in net for the Rangers, but that's the only lineup change they'll have for Sunday night's game against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Madison Square Garden.

Ruslan Fedotenko, out since leaving a Feb. 9 game against the Lightning due to an illegal hit from Dominic Moore, who has since been dealt to the Sharks, skated in Greenburgh, N.Y. during the day, but coach John Tortorella offered no update on his winger's status.

The Rangers have yet to disclose the injury but have said it's not a concussion. Fedotenko tried riding a bike the day after the Moore hit but didn't feel well, so the Rangers shut him down. He took part in the team's morning skate Tuesday, but was held out of the lineup for that night's game in Boston and Thursday's home contest against the Blackhawks.

RANGERS
Artem Anisimov - Derek Stepan - Marian Gaborik
Carl Hagelin - Brad Richards - Ryan Callahan
Brandon Dubinsky - Brian Boyle - Brandon Prust
Michael Rupp - John Mitchell - Stu Bickel

Ryan McDonagh - Dan Girardi
Michael Del Zotto - Anton Stralman
Marc Staal - Steve Eminger

Henrik Lundqvist
Martin Biron

The Jackets' lineup is more guesswork. Interim coach Todd Richards said Saturday following a home loss to the Blackhawks that the plan was to start Steve Mason in net. Rookie Ryan Johansen has been a healthy scratch of late, but he could possibly find himself in the lineup.

Here's what Columbus used Saturday:

BLUE JACKETS
R.J. Umberger - Derick Brassard - Rick Nash
Vinny Prospal - Mark Letestu - Jeff Carter
Antoine Vermette - Samuel Pahlsson - Derek Dorsett
Colton Gillies - Derek Mackenzie - Ryan Russell
 
John Moore - James Wisniewski
Aaron Johnson - Fedor Tyutin
Brett Lebda - David Savard

Steve Mason
Allen York

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NEW YORK -- When a team is riding a nine-game losing streak, any breaks are welcome. The Chicago Blackhawks may be catching a minor one Thursday night against the Rangers.

Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, the current favorite for the Vezina Trophy, will get the night off after playing three games in four days. Instead, backup Martin Biron will be in net for the Rangers.

It's not that much of a break, though. Lundqvist is 27-11-4 with a 1.77 goals-against average and .941 save percentage, but Biron is 10-2-1 with a 2.03 GAA and .919 save percentage.

The goaltender they'll face won't matter much to the Blackhawks, as they know they're facing one of the best teams in the League.

"They're one of the best teams in the League, if not the best," forward Patrick Kane said. "They play a really hard-working game and have some skill up front we have to be aware of. They're having a great season, and it's nice for them and nice for the League that they've turned it around this year. It's always fun playing the Eastern Conference teams. The game is more up-and-down, fast-paced. Hopefully we can put a few more on the board than them tonight."

Corey Crawford will be in net for the Blackhawks, while defenseman Steve Montador and Niklas Hjalmarsson are out. Brendan Morrison and Michael Frolik will be the scratches.

For the Rangers, Ruslan Fedotenko will likely miss his fourth straight game, which means another game up front for defenseman Stu Bickel.

Here are the likely line combinations for each team:

BLACKHAWKS
Patrick Shark - Jonathan Toews - Patrick Kane
Andrew Brunette - Marcus Kruger - Marian Hossa
Bryan Bickell - Dave Bolland - Viktor Stalberg
Andrew Shaw - Jamal Mayers - John Scott

Duncan Keith - Dylan Olsen
Nick Leddy - Brent Seabrook
Sean O'Donnell - Sami Lepisto

Corey Crawford
Ray Emery

RANGERS
Artem Anisimov - Derek Stepan - Marian Gaborik
Carl Hagelin - Brad Richards - Ryan Callahan
Brandon Dubinsky - Brian Boyle - Brandon Prust
Mike Rupp - John Mitchell - Stu Bickel

Ryan McDonagh - Dan Girardi
Michael Del Zotto - Anton Stralman
Marc Staal - Steve Eminger

Martin Biron
Henrik Lundqvist

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NEW YORK -- Corey Crawford hasn't played since allowing five goals on 27 shots in the Blackhawks' 5-3 loss in San Jose on Friday night.

The goaltender has spent the past five days on the bench as the Blackhawks' losing streak has reached an unwieldy nine games. When asked what he needs to do to get his game on the right track, he gave a straight-forward answer.

"Stopping pucks," Crawford said. "It's as simple as that."

BOSTON -- The New York Rangers' lineup isn't set in stone heading into Tuesday night's tilt with the Bruins. Forward Ruslan Fedotenko, who missed the past two games, skated with the team for the first time in the morning and is a game-time decision.

If Fedotenko can't play, coach John Tortorella will likely use defenseman Stu Bickel as a fourth-line forward for the third straight game.

These were the lines during the Rangers' practice at TD Garden this morning:

Artem Anisimov - Derek Stepan - Marian Gaborik
Carl Hagelin - Brad Richards - Ryan Callahan
Brandon Dubinsky - Brian Boyle - Brandon Prust
Michael Rupp - John Mitchell - Ruslan Fedotenko/Stu Bickel

Ryan McDonagh - Dan Girardi
Michael Del Zotto - Anton Stralman
Marc Staal - Steve Eminger

Henrik Lundqvist
Martin Biron

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BOSTON -- It's just another game between the East-leading New York Rangers and second-place Boston Bruins.

That's the stance both sides are taking heading into Tuesday night's game at TD Garden. The Rangers have played one more game than the Bruins and hold a seven-point lead in the standings. A regulation win by the Rangers wouldn't clinch the East with 25 games to play, but it would be a huge mountain for the Bruins to climb.

"I don't think we're necessarily looking at this game like we need to catch up to these guys more than we need to play well to give us a chance to win the game -- it's as simple as that," Bruins coach Claude Julien said. "Right now, our issues are a lot different than worrying about how far ahead they are or how much we need to catch up. We just have to go out there and play and if we play well and do the job we know we can, hopefully we can come up with a win and the rest will take care of itself."

The Rangers are taking the same tact -- they don't care how many points they are ahead of the Bruins, they just want to play their game. The last time the Rangers came to Boston they won 3-2 in overtime on Jan. 21 to turn a one-point lead in the East into a two-point edge.

The gap is wider now, but nothing is changing as far as the approach.

"I think we've done a pretty good job of trying to focus on the task at hand," Rangers forward Brian Boyle said. "We've got 20 games left where a lot can go on, where teams are going to catch fire. A lot can happen, you know? Right now, we're just trying to put one foot in front of the other. From a preparation standpoint, from what they think of us, I don't know. I don't really care. That's what they need to worry about. We're just trying to prepare for them and get our game ready."

The Rangers scored the winning goal thanks to Bruins defenseman Andrew Ference taking a major boarding penalty against defenseman Ryan McDonagh in overtime. Marian Gaborik scored in the waning seconds to win it, but neither team feels Ference's hit will be something that will carry over to this game.

"I'm sure there will be a lot of big saves by the goaltenders," McDonagh said when asked what he's expecting against the Bruins, who will start Tim Thomas against the Rangers' Henrik Lundqvist. "We're just going to play our system and our structure and get our forecheck going and grind them out."

The grinding style has been a hallmark of the Rangers the past three seasons since Tortorella arrived, and now it's yielding more success than ever. Combining that style with the physical one the Bruins play, and it's a mixture the Rangers relish.

"That's just the way we play," Tortorella said. "That's the way we have the best opportunity to win hockey games. That's been part of us building that identity for the past couple years. There's no secrets at all. That's the way we're built a little bit, and that's how we've developed our identity."

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BOSTON -- Ruslan Fedotenko skated with the Rangers on Tuesday morning for the first time since a hit by Tampa Bay's Dominic Moore last Thursday that knocked him out of the game.

Fedotenko missed the following two games, but he skated on his own Monday before taking part in practice in preparation for Tuesday night's clash with the Boston Bruins at TD Garden.

"I feel better right now," said Fedotenko, whose left eye area was bruised as a result of Moore driving Fedotenko's stick into his face, a play that earned Moore a $2,500 fine. "I don't want to describe (the specifics of the injury). It's between me and the medical staff. I don't want to say too much. I'm sure you understand that."

Fedotenko tried riding a bike the day after the hit, but was unable to do so. He was smiling and not holding back during Tuesday's practice, but coach John Tortorella said he was unsure if Fedotenko would be back in the lineup against the Bruins.

Fedotenko said he would be a game-time decision and is day-to-day.

As for the hit, Fedotenko talked about it for the first time since it happened.

"I was angry at that point," Fedotenko said. "I felt like the puck was not near me at all, so I didn't really expect that hit. I think that's why it happened. We're trying to take these kind of plays away from the game, so we don't have any type of concussions and hurt each other. I don't know what to say. It's too bad. I'm sure he was not intending to hit me hard, but I think he was going after me because I hit him right before that."

Fedotenko was asked about the League's decision to fine but not suspend Moore because it was Fedotenko's stick that did the damage, not Moore's shoulder.

"On the one shot, you see the shoulder didn't hit me in the face, but I feel like intent was there," Fedotenko said. "The puck was not near me. They make the decisions and we'll go with that."

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NEW YORK -- Ryan McDonagh gave the Rangers and their fans a scare Sunday afternoon, but it was only a brief one.

The defenseman left Sunday's game against the Washington Capitals after his left leg buckled during the second period, but returned almost immediately after being helped to the locker room.

The non-contact injury occurred as he scored his fifth goal of the season at 13:21 to give the Rangers a 2-1 lead. McDonagh used a toe drag to move around a sliding defenseman, then crumpled to the ice in pain after releasing the shot.

McDonagh was back almost immediately, however, taking a shift about two minutes after leaving.

McDonagh has stepped up in a big way this season with top defenseman Marc Staal missing the first three months of the season. McDonagh is second on the Rangers and 12th in the League in ice time at 25:19 per game playing alongside NHL ice time leader and All-Star Dan Girardi.

The Rangers are currently carrying seven defensemen, but have been using Stu Bickel at forward with Ruslan Fedotenko out with an injury suffered Thursday.

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NEW YORK -- The Rangers and Capitals will likely go with the same lineups they used in their most recent contests when they square at Madison Square Garden on Sunday afternoon (12:30, NBC).

Henrik Lundqvist will be in goal for the Rangers, opposed by the Capitals' Tomas Vokoun.

The Rangers went with seven defensemen against the Flyers, with Stu Bickel moved up on the fourth line at times, and that will be the case Sunday. Capitals forward Mike Knuble was a healthy scratch against the Jets on Thursday. Here's what to expect this afternoon when the teams take the ice.

CAPITALS

Alex Ovechkin - Marcus Johansson - Troy Brouwer
Jason Chimera - Mathieu Perreault - Alexander Semin
Matt Hendricks - Jeff Halpern - Joel Ward
Brooks Laich - Keith Aucoin - Jay Beagle
 
Karl Alzner - John Carlson
Dmitry Orlov - Roman Hamrlik
Jeff Schultz - Dennis Wideman
 
Tomas Vokoun
Michal Neuvirth

RANGERS

Artem Anisimov - Derek Stepan - Marian Gaborik
Brandon Dubinsky - Brian Boyle - Brandon Prust
Carl Hagelin - Brad Richards - Ryan Callahan
Mike Rupp - John Mitchell

Marc Staal - Steve Eminger
Ryan McDonagh - Dan Girardi
Michael Del Zotto - Anton Stralman
Stu Bickel

Henrik Lundqvist

Martin Biron

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