Rangers rugged defenseman Ryan Lindgren is a game-time decision for Game 5 on Wednesday night versus the Penguins.
According to Gerard Gallant, he will take pre-game warmups and the team will decide if he can go. If that is the case, it’s also possible the Rangers will go with 11 forwards and 7 defensemen as insurance.
NY Rangers lineup: Ryan Lindgren possible
Lindgren, 24, has not played since Game 1 of the series. In that contest he registered 3 hits and 5 blocks in nearly 30 minutes of action. Against the Capitals during the last game of the season, he got tangled up with a Caps player late and hobbled off the ice.
He also appeared to get banged up several times in Game 1 and left the bench for extended periods of time.
For the season, Lindgren posted 15 points in 78 games this season while averaging 20:06 TOI.
If Lindgren can play, he’s expected to be paired with Adam Fox. That leaves the interesting question of who will be the extra? Will it be Justin Braun or Patrik Nemeth.
Braun, 35, has an assist and an even rating in three games in the playoffs.
Nemeth, 30, has no points, four minor penalties, and a -4 rating in four contests this postseason.
Filip Chytil says the team likes to pass to much
Yesterday after practice, Gerard Gallant preached to his team to stop with the fancy stuff and play more “straight-line” hockey.
He also made it clear that the Rangers need to start shooting the puck more and it sounds like young Filip Chytil got that message.
“We had a lot of opportunities to shoot on great chances and didn’t shoot,” Chytil said heading into Game 5. “We didn’t do that the last two games, so now we have to change it and put into our heads that every shot can end up in the goal. We just have to shoot more.
“We’re probably one of the teams who loves to make an extra pass. But we can’t play like this. We see that it didn’t work in the last two games. We can look at Pittsburgh– they shoot from every possible angle. We have to do the same.”
Chytil, 22, has 1 assist in four games this postseason but the Kid Line with Alexis Lafrenière and Kaapo Kakko has generate excellent chances in the last two games.
Is Trevor Zegras the favorite to win the Calder?
The NHL announced its three finalists for the Calder Trophy (rookie-of-the-year). Anaheim’s Trevor Zegras is up against Detroit’s Moritz Seider and Toronto’s Michael Bunting. Is Zegras favored to win it? Read more.
Calder Trophy Finalists announced, is Trevor Zegras the favorite to win it?
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