Filip Chytil went straight to the locker room, the place he remained for the remainder of the Rangers’ 5-1 loss to the Blue Jackets on Sunday, after taking an elbow to the top from Columbus ahead Cole Sillinger early within the first interval.
Following the hit, which got here from behind, the 23-year-old was gradual to get again on his skates. The Rangers labeled it as an upper-body damage, but it surely’s protected to say it's a head damage of some type. That pressured Gerard Gallant to rotate his remaining three facilities for the remainder of the sport.
“He’s day-to-day,” the Rangers head coach stated. “We’ll reassess him [on Monday] and see how he's. Massive loss early within the recreation. I didn’t see [the hit] till I regarded on the video after. I don’t suppose it was a vicious play. I don’t suppose he meant to harm him, however he nonetheless received him with a shoulder within the head. I don’t suppose there was any intent in any respect.”
The Rangers have now had three gamers endure accidents because the ultimate recreation of the preseason. Sammy Blais suffered an upper-body damage within the preseason finale towards the Islanders, which sidelined him the primary three video games. Vitali Kravtsov went down after three shifts within the season-opening win over the Lightning and was out till Sunday.
Each accidents have been minor, however a head damage for Chytil might be critical. Chytil missed three video games final November with a suspected concussion.
Kravtsov again within the lineup after lacking the earlier 4 video games with an upper-body damage, slotting onto the precise wing of the third line subsequent to Barclay Goodrow and Chytil.
“Present that ability, present the expertise,” Gallant stated of what he hoped to see from Kravtsov. “Like we inform all our gamers, it’s about doing the precise issues with the puck, managing the puck on the proper occasions. It doesn’t should be a spotlight play each time you make a play. Generally you simply dump it within the nook, making the straightforward play and altering.
“Don’t attempt to have too many turnovers and once you get your alternative, make these performs and go laborious to the web and shoot some pucks.”
In consequence, Jimmy Vesey was a wholesome scratch for the primary time this season. For the reason that Rangers misplaced Dryden Hunt on waivers to the Avs, Vesey will seemingly function the highest depth ahead, relying on how issues pan out with Kravtsov.
Artemi Panarin prolonged his scoring streak and put the Rangers on the board at 18:44 of the second interval. Within the ultimate seconds of five-on-three play, with two Blue Jackets within the penalty field, Panarin scored from between the circles to chop the Rangers’ deficit to 2.
The star winger’s 4 objectives and eight assists by six video games not solely moved him as much as first place within the NHL in factors, however can also be the longest season-opening level streak by a Ranger since Marian Gaborik went eight video games throughout the 2009-10 season.
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