Energy may land journeyman Brickley in lineup

It’s either a journeyman forward named Connor Brickley or another lineup with the lopsided ratio of 11 forwards and seven defensemen. That’s about where it is right now with the Rangers.

The decision will be made by coach David Quinn sometime before Friday night’s game in Buffalo, with the coach having played the previous two games with the 11-and-7 lineup he has repeatedly said he “doesn’t love.”

Brickley, 26, was called up on Thursday and practiced with the team, filling a role as a fourth- line winger. Having been obtained in a trade with the Predators on Jan. 14 in exchange for Cole Schneider, Brickley had put up two goals and six points in 13 games with AHL Hartford.

“Guys felt like he was playing well down there, gives us a little bit of energy,” Quinn said. “Kind of what we were looking for.”

Brickley was a second-round pick (No. 50 overall) of the Panthers in 2010, and after a four-year career at the University of Vermont, the Massachusetts native has 67 games of NHL experience, all with Florida, including 44 last season.

Yet the Panthers traded him to the Hurricanes in 2016, and Carolina then gave Vegas a fifth-round pick so they would take him — set to be an unrestricted free agent — in the expansion draft in the summer of 2017. Vegas let Brickley go, and he signed a oneyear, two-way deal with the Panthers before signing a similar deal with the Predators last summer.

Nashville did not call up the 6foot, 200-pound lefty-shot from AHL Milwaukee, where he put up seven goals and 11 points in 39 games.

Alex Georgiev is set to start against the Sabres, his second start in three games following his 55-save performance against the Maple Leafs on Sunday. That means it’s likely Henrik Lundqvist will start Sunday afternoon in Pittsburgh.

“Every decision is based on what’s best for both of them, not just one guy,” Quinn said. “Georgie is playing well. He’s a young kid that we want to continue to see what he can do and develop, and continue to prove himself at this level. I also think Georgie playing a little bit more down the last stretch here will make Hank better. They both will benefit from that.”

Defenseman Freddy Claesson participated fully for the second straight practice, and Quinn said he is getting closer, but still not ready to return from the shoulder injury suffered back on Jan. 12.

Rookie center Brett Howden is also “making good progress,” according to Quinn, as he recovers from the knee injury suffered Jan. 29. The 20-year-old has not started skating, and was expected to miss three to four weeks.