"Wojtek Wolski was in the lineup.

For the Rangers.

Not for the Whale.

For the winger, who yesterday morning diplomatically avoided saying whether he would accede to the Rangers' request to accept a conditioning assignment to the AHL farm if it remained on the table, played his first game since Nov. 3 when Brandon Dubinsky was sidelined with a sore right shoulder.

Wolski, who underwent sports hernia surgery on Nov. 8, played 14:50 in the Rangers' 3-0 Garden defeat to the Senators, opening in Dubinsky's spot on the left with Brad Richards and Ryan Callahan before coach John Tortorella juggled his personnel beginning with the second period."