Lecavalier back in lineup for Flyers

Thursday, 10.24.2013 / 2:48 PM | NHL.com Staff

The Philadelphia Flyers likely will have Vincent Lecavalier back in the lineup Thursday when they face the New York Rangers, but he won't be in his usual spot at center.

Lecavalier, who has missed the past three games with a lower-body injury, skated at right wing on the team's top line at the morning skate, with Claude Giroux at center and Michael Raffl at left wing.

"I want to be out there and be part of it," Lecavalier said. "We're doing some good things. It's hard to [see it that way] when you are 1-7, but we want to keep pushing and I want to help as much as I can.

"The chances are there and that's a positive. I love [playing with Giroux]. He's a smart player who makes quick little plays. He's easy to play with. It's been going really good in practices. When you are with him and you look at the way he thinks out there, he's special. … I want to try to be physical on the puck and be strong in the corners on the puck, and if he's making great plays either me or Raffl has to bury it."

For the Rangers, Brandon Mashinter will draw into the lineup for the first time this season, playing in place of Mats Zuccarello. Mashinter had five assists and a plus-3 rating in six games with the Rangers' American Hockey League team, the Hartford Wolf Pack, this season.

Here is how the lineups for each team could look Thursday:

RANGERS

Chris Kreider - Derek Stepan - Brad Richards

Benoit Pouliot - Derick Brassard - J.T. Miller

Taylor Pyatt - Brian Boyle - Jesper Fast

Brandon Mashinter - Dominic Moore - Derek Dorsett

Ryan McDonagh - Dan Girardi

Marc Staal - Anton Stralman

John Moore - Michael Del Zotto

Cam Talbot

Jason Missiaen

Scratched: Mats Zuccarello, Justin Falk