McIlrath has been a healthy scratch for six straight games because Vigneault is trying to help Girardi play his way out of his season-long rut back into the top form of past seasons. The Rangers (23-14-5, 51 points), however, have been a better team with McIlrath in the lineup, regardless of their 4-2-1 record in their last seven with the 6-5, 220-pounder mostly sitting in the press box.