The New York Rangers have lost two in a row, but they have good news. Center Mika Zibanejad will return to the lineup for the first time since Nov. 20, when he broke his left fibula in overtime of a 3-2 shootout loss to the Florida Panthers. Zibanejad has missed the past 25 games. He had 15 points in 19 games before the injury. "I have a lot of scenarios going through my head of how this game could go, but for me it's just getting back and playing simple," Zibanejad said. "It sounds very cliché but when you come back from a long injury like this I think it's just simplify things and kind of get back into it. It's going to take a couple games to get the feel for the timing and speed of the game. Just try to be solid from the start, take the opportunities when they're there but if they're not there just play simple." Zibanejad said he trusts his legs and doesn't feel skating will be an issue other than just trying to recondition himself to game speed. Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said last week the staff put Zibanejad through the same conditioning test all players take in training camp. "His results as far as skating-wise were better than they were during training camp," Vigneault said. "He's utilized this time here real well." Vigneault will start Zibanejad on a line with Pavel Buchnevich and Rick Nash, each of whom recently missed time with his own injury before returning Friday against the Toronto Maple Leafs. "We're going to have to be patient a little bit with [Zibanejad], with Pavel and even with Nasher to some extent," Vigneault said. "Those were longer injuries than normal. You've got to help the player, work with him here." Vigneault said the hope is that Zibanejad quickly returns to the way he was playing before the injury, when he had six points in six games. "He was really on the upswing," Vigneault said.
