ST. LOUIS — The damage hits simply preserve coming for a Rangers group that may’t catch a break.
Artemi Panarin was sidelined with an upper-body damage for the Rangers’ 3-2 loss to the Blues at Enterprise Heart on Sunday evening, marking the star Russian wing’s first missed sport because the 2021-22 season finale.
In keeping with the Rangers, Panarin is taken into account day-to-day.
“He’s been a top point producer and you miss players like that,” Adam Fox mentioned of Panarin, who leads the Rangers with 36 factors. “It’s going to harm you, however we’re at no level of this to [be making] excuses of lacking one man or two guys. Everybody has to step up no matter who’s enjoying or not.
“It’s been a lot of the same messaging, same stuff, but at some point, it’s got to give. Got to start getting some wins.”
This comes simply a few days after the Rangers put defenseman Ok’Andre Miller on injured reserve with an upper-body damage.
Urho Vaakainanen, who the Rangers acquired from Anaheim within the Jacob Trouba commerce, can be nonetheless on injured reserve with an upper-body damage.
Panarin’s absence pressured some lineup adjustments, however head coach Peter Laviolette additionally made a notable teaching determination concerning personnel.
Kaapo Kakko was a wholesome scratch Sunday, in accordance with a supply.
It marks the 23-year-old Finn’s third wholesome scratch of his Rangers tenure, however the first within the common season after Kakko was benched in Sport 6 of the Japanese Convention Ultimate within the 2022 and 2024 playoffs.
“We were putting fresh legs in the lineup,” Laviolette mentioned of what went into the choice.
In consequence, Laviolette deployed a primary line with Will Cuylle, Filip Chytil and Alexis Lafreniere.
The second line was made up of Jonny Brodzinski, skating in his first sport since Dec. 2, Vincent Trocheck and Reilly Smith, whereas Brett Berard, Mika Zibanejad and Jimmy Vesey made up the third unit.
Adam Edstrom, Sam Carrick and Chris Kreider performed on the Rangers’ fourth line.
Laviolette additionally opted to take a seat Victor Mancini.
Chad Ruhwedel changed Mancini, skating on the appropriate of Connor Mackey because the Rangers’ third pairing.
Zac Jones paired up with Braden Schneider, whereas Fox and Ryan Lindgren remained intact.
Lindgren, who has struggled mightily this season, misplayed a puck simply earlier than the Rangers’ blue line when he tried to get between it and Jordan Kyrou within the second interval.
The Blues ahead in the end got here away with it and beat Rangers goalie Jonathan Fast on a breakaway to provide his group a 2-0 lead on the 6:33 mark of the second interval.
A Lafreniere cross to nobody within the offensive zone then sprung the Blues for a 2-on-1 rush earlier than Robert Thomas took it himself and made it a three-goal sport.
Fast earned the beginning nod towards the Blues.
The Rangers backup stopped 21 of the 24 photographs he confronted.
The Rangers are anticipated to be off Monday earlier than they return to sport motion Tuesday towards the Predators in Nashville.
