The Rangers could also be within the race for the highest seed within the Metropolitan Division, however their actual goal is to remain wholesome with the postseason on the horizon.
Kaapo Kakko is exhibit A for simply how troublesome it is likely to be to realize that objective. The Finnish winger suffered a lower-body damage Saturday afternoon after his proper knee bent awkwardly throughout a fall alongside the boards early in first interval of the Rangers’ 4-0 win over the Pink Wings on the Backyard. The victory left the Rangers quickly tied with the Hurricanes for first within the division earlier than Carolina had an opportunity to regain sole possession Saturday evening in opposition to the Avalanche.
“I don’t suppose it’s too severe,” head coach Gerard Gallant stated of Kakko’s damage. “We’re being cautious and ensuring.”
Kakko recorded one hit over 5:06 of ice time in simply his fourth sport since a suspected wrist damage sidelined him for over 10 weeks, which was a for much longer restoration timeline than anticipated. Commerce-deadline acquisition Tyler Motte already has been dominated out for the rest of the common season, so any extra damage to the ahead group can be a blow.
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Having missed 31 video games in a row, Kakko wants these remaining regular-season video games to arrange for the playoffs greater than anybody. It’s attainable the damage really isn’t severe, and the Rangers medical workers simply stored Kakko out for the rest of the sport as a precaution.
If Kakko has to overlook prolonged time, nonetheless, the Rangers gained’t be as deep as they regarded proper after the March 21 commerce deadline.
“You don’t need to see that occur to anybody,” stated Mika Zibanejad, whose first-period objective throughout a five-on-three energy play opened the scoring. “Clearly, you are feeling for him somewhat bit extra simply due to the scenario and what he’s been by. I feel the blokes responded, I really feel prefer it’s occurred all through the season a pair occasions the place we go down 11 forwards and I feel we’ve responded fairly nicely.”
Alexis Lafreniere, who began the day on the fourth line with Kevin Rooney and Dryden Hunt, took shifts on the third unit with Barclay Goodrow and Filip Chytil after Kakko exited the sport. After serving as a wholesome scratch within the final contest, Lafreniere scored twice within the third interval to tie Artemi Panarin for second on the workforce in even-strength objectives (17).
Goalie Igor Shesterkin recorded his fifth shutout of the season with 20 saves. Frank Vatrano scored his seventh objective in 16 video games since becoming a member of the Rangers, whereas Panarin additionally notched an help on Zibanejad’s first-period tally for his ninetieth level of the season. Panarin now has two 90-point campaigns on his résumé, along with changing into the sixth Ranger to realize that feat a number of occasions with the group.
“I assumed we had been excellent,” Gallant stated. “I assumed we managed the puck nearly as good as we did all 12 months lengthy. We had some nice scoring possibilities and we performed our sport. We didn’t fear about who we had been enjoying, we simply went on the market and performed our sport and we performed it to a T.”
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