Buchnevich earns a promotion in his return to Rangers lineup

First David Quinn benched him, then he rewarded him.

The Rangers coach brought Pavel Buchnevich back into the lineup for Thursday night’s 4-3 win over the Devils in Newark just two days after he had made the talented 23-year-old winger a healthy scratch in a 1-0 loss to the Flyers at the Garden.

Buchnevich started on the fourth line, but midway through the third period, with the score tied 3-3, he was up on the second line with Kevin Hayes and Jesper Fast, doing what he could to break the tie. And he had come on just at the right moment, moving the puck around the back of the Devils’ net to start the play that would end in Mika Zibanejad’s game-winner with 4:36 remaining in regulation.

Buchnevich had replaced Jimmy Vesey on the line after Vesey was stapled to the bench following his ghastly turnover that resulted in the Devils tying the score on an Egor Yakovlev goal at 5:36 of the third. Asked if the switch was more about Buchnevich or Vesey, Quinn said, “It was a combination. I thought Buchie was playing well and I thought he earned that opportunity.”

Quinn announced that 20-year-old rookie center Brett Howden would be out three to four weeks with his knee injury, suffered in the first period of Tuesday’s game.

Defenseman Tony DeAngelo was made the healthy scratch after a game-time decision determined Mats Zuccarello could play after he had missed Tuesday’s game with a foot infection. DeAngelo, 23, had played in six straight.

“It was the thing that I thought needed to happen,” Quinn said.

Goalie Henrik Lundqvist played his first game since Jan. 19, and it took him a while to get into rhythm again.

“First period, I felt a little off,” he said after making 19 saves, some terrific ones while preserving a one-goal lead late in the third period. “Being away from the game for 10 days or so, of course you’re going to feel it. As the game went on, I felt more and more comfortable.”

Quinn had a pregame conversation with his good friend, Devils coach John Hynes, as the two squared off in their first regular-season NHL game against one another.

“I’ve got so much respect for John,” Quinn said, as both Rhode Island kids came through Boston University before getting into coaching. “He’s a great coach, great guy. He’s been a friend for a long time. But when that puck drops, all that stuff gets pushed to the side. He wants to win and I want to win.”