Practice Report: Staal, Hayes Day-to-Day

The Rangers will be without defenseman Marc Staal for at least Thursday night when they host the Buffalo Sabres at Madison Square Garden.
Staa, who left Tuesday's win over the Flyers after the second period with a hip flexor injury, was listed as day-to-day by coach Alain Vigneault.
"I don't expect it to be long," Vigneault said, who added that Steve Kampfer will rejoin the lineup for Thursday and that the team's defensive pairs were still be worked on.

Like Staal, Vigneault said forward Kevin Hayes (contusion) is day-to-day. Vigneault said Hayes worked out off the ice on Wednesday and is "coming along" and is "real close to skating."
After Thursday, the Rangers head west to face the Avalanche in Colorado before three games in California, beginning Sunday in Los Angeles. Vigneault said a recall would be needed if both - especially Staal - were not close to returning to the lineup.
"I would think by Friday I'm going to know if Marc is good," he said. "Right now, we've got 12 healthy forwards and six healthy D. Hartford is close by for tomorrow, so if we need something at the last minute, it shouldn't be an issue. By Friday, we'll practice and know if both Kevin and Marc are practicing or close to. [If they're] close to [but] not quite there, we might have to call somebody up. If they're close we'll play it day-by-day."
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Peter Holland admitted before yesterday's game that there were some nerves heading into his first NHL game since last April, but that things got back to normal after a couple shifts.
"Definitely some nervous energy," said Holland, who had 13:40 of ice time in the 5-1 victory over the Flyers. "It felt like my first game all over again.
Holland said his assist on Paul Carey's shorthanded goal in the first period "calmed the nerves."
"In the first period, if you can contribute early, it feels good," he said. "Paul made a really nice play on the breakaway and buried it. It definitely felt good."
Holland centered Michael Grabner and Jesper Fast. Fast was impressed at Holland's ability to join the lineup and contribute immediately.
"I thought he played great," he said. "He's strong on the puck. A big body. He's a good skater as well, so I think we had some good chemistry going on."
Vigneault stated his pleasure with the trio and said it would remain intact for Thursday's game against the Sabres.
"I thought they played well," Vigneault said. "They were very sound defensively, those three guys, and they were in on a couple of chances offensively. I'm going to keep that line together tomorrow and hopefully they'll give us a good game."
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Vigneault announced goaltender Henrik Lundqvist will start against the Sabres.