Artemi Panarin, Andrew Copp return to practice, look healthy
The Rangers' Andrew Copp, right, celebrates with Artemi Panarin after scoring a goal against the Islanders on April 21. Credit: AP/Frank Franklin II
GREENBURGH, N.Y. — It was a beautiful day outside on Sunday. Bright sunshine, moderate temperatures, low humidity. For the Rangers, it also was a beautiful day inside because they were greeted by the smiling faces of Artemi Panarin and Andrew Copp at practice.
Panarin and Copp were back on the ice as the Blueshirts prepared for Game 1 of their first-round playoff series against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday at Madison Square Garden.
“I feel good. Ready to go,’’ Copp said after the 40-minute practice.
“I feel, like, the best all year now,’’ Panarin said. “Ready to go. I’m excited.’’
Both players missed the final two games of the regular season after leaving during the second period of last Tuesday’s 4-3 loss to Carolina. At the time, coach Gerard Gallant insisted the players were OK and that both would be ready for Game 1. Their being able to practice Sunday offered confirmation.
“Well, I mean, they had a great practice,’’ Gallant said when asked if both officially are good to go. “So yeah. It was official as everybody else out there, put it that way.’’
Panarin missed the final two games with an upper-body injury. Copp sat out with a lower-body injury, the same injury that forced him to leave early in the 6-3 win over the Islanders on April 21 after he scored a first-period hat trick. Copp missed the next game in Boston but returned against Carolina, only to leave early in the second.
“I think it was pretty much like, if you felt anything [in the game against Carolina] that we weren’t going to continue on,’’ Copp said. “It was not a severe injury by any means, but we definitely felt like it was time to take a little time to make sure that everything was good to go for Game 1.’’
Panarin seemed to be in a good mood throughout practice, smiling often and goofing around.
“Emotions are pretty high, just excited,’’ he said in English, without an interpreter. “And then, of course, if everything is all right in your head, your body feels better.’’
According to both players, the mood in the locker room is good.
“I don’t feel any nervousness in the locker room,’’ Panarin said. “Everybody is smiling. And then, I think we have a good team in the locker room. Everybody supports everybody. But we don’t have to support everybody right now. Everybody feels OK. Just excited [for the] most important month, two months in the year.’’
The return of Panarin and Copp solidifies the Rangers’ top two forward lines, as both players returned to their spots flanking center Ryan Strome.
“We have a good line, and then, if everyone just brings 100% on the ice, we’ll probably be OK,’’ Panarin said.
Everyone practiced Sunday except defenseman Ryan Lindgren, who appeared to injure his left ankle on a fall late in Friday’s win over Washington in the regular-season finale. Gallant downplayed his absence, however, and said Lindgren will return to practice Monday.
As energized as the players seemed to be, Gallant seemed just as excited about the playoffs and the Rangers’ chances to go deep into the postseason.
“Honestly, I think the 16 teams that made the playoffs have a chance to win the Stanley Cup, and that’s my honest opinion,’’ the Rangers’ first-year coach said. “I think we’re as good as anybody in the playoffs and I think anybody in the playoffs can beat us.
“I truly believe we have as good a chance as anybody,’’ he said. “You might pick the Colorado team [second overall in the regular season] and the Florida team [first overall]; you might put them above everybody else. But I just think it’s wide open. I really do.’’
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.
