Gardiner proclaimed himself being 100% ready to go, that's why I mentioned him. Gardiner also played regularly during the lockout prior to his injury so his conditioning should be fine. With all due respect to Kostka, who played admirably in his NHL debut, Gards should be in the lineup if he is in fact ready.
As for the decision to sit Franson and Komi, it's the second game of the season. It's far too early to worry about fatigue, and I thought they both played very well in Montreal. Why sit them both in favor of Holzer and Fraser if it's not absolutely necessary yet? Especially in Franson's case, what does the guy have to do to play two freaking games in a row in this town?
In any case, I obviously respect Carlyle's coaching pedigree and I have total confidence in his ability to gauge the roster. As I said, it just seems odd on the surface.