Hurting Ryan Lindgren has to leave game but is able to return
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - MAY 30: Sebastian Aho #20 of the Carolina Hurricanes checks Jacob Trouba #8 of the New York Rangers into the boards during the second period in Game Seven of the Second Round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at PNC Arena on May 30, 2022 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) Credit: Getty Images/Jared C. Tilton
RALEIGH, N.C. — Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren, who has been playing through an injury to his left foot, left the game briefly during the second period of Monday’s Game 7 after he was crunched into the end boards by Carolina forward Nino Niederreiter.
Lindgren was helped off the ice, unable to put any weight on his left skate, but he returned before the period was over.
Adam Fox, Lindgren’s defense partner, said: “I was pretty sure he’d come back. You never know with something like that. I thought [the hit] was from behind there, but you know, ref didn’t see it. But I definitely didn’t doubt he was going to come back . . . He brings a spark for us.”
Trouba X’s out Jarvis
Jacob Trouba, already unpopular with Carolina fans after his Game 4 hit on Max Domi and subsequent fight with Steven Lorentz, again landed a big hit on one of the Carolina forwards. He dropped rookie Seth Jarvis in the first period in the open ice, leaving Jarvis to crawl to the bench. He was helped to the dressing room and did not return to the game.
At Monday’s morning skate, Trouba was asked if he likes playing the part of the villain and said: “I don’t know, I don’t really think much about it, I guess. I play the way I play, have always played.”
Raanta injured
Carolina goalie Antti Raanta left the game with 4:23 remaining in the second period with an apparent lower-body injury after he kicked his right leg out to try to make a save and fell over, face-first, in obvious pain. Raanta, who allowed two power-play goals on 18 shots, was helped off the ice, unable to put any weight on his right skate.
DeAngelo first in line
After the game, former Ranger Tony DeAngelo was the first Hurricanes player on the postgame handshake line. DeAngelo, who had been involved in plenty of smack talk in the series, got a hug from Chris Kreider. The ESPN broadcast cut away before DeAngelo got to shake backup goaltender Alexandar Georgiev’s hand. Early last season, DeAngelo provoked Georgiev into punching him after an overtime loss to the Penguins. That was the last straw in a series of transgressions by DeAngelo that convinced then-GM Jeff Gorton to place DeAngelo on waivers, ultimately paving the way for the team to buy him out of his contract. He signed with Carolina as a free agent last summer.
Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
