Chris Kreider told to watch and learn

Rookie Chris Kreider, who joined the Rangers on Wednesday and was a healthy scratch Thursday night, had a Game 1 homework assignment: Keep your eye on No. 62.

"I was told to watch Carl Hagelin," Kreider said. "How he hounds pucks, the puck pursuit, the energy he brings to the game."

Like Hagelin, who graduated from Michigan and played 17 games in the AHL before being promoted, Kreider has great speed, and that's a starting point for the Boston College player, who needs to complete four courses this summer for a degree.

As for his on-ice education, Rangers coaches "emphasized puck pursuit, not so much speed with the puck but speed without the puck," Kreider said, "to bring that to my game, being able to harass defensemen."

Sitting out wasn't a surprise or disappointment. "I just feed off the energy practicing with NHL players," Kreider said. "It's a jump up for me regardless."

Backup goaltender Martin Biron, who has faced the 20-year-old in two practices, said: "His game is raw but the speed is impressive; good shot, quick release, precise. There's a lot of adrenaline right now, but you can see what he's got."

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The Rangers were among the few teams who were not punished by a "bag skate" (hard-skating practices without pucks) after a lackluster effort this season.

"Not once this year -- and coaches do it all the time -- did we have to go out there and kick the hell out of them because you didn't get enough out of them the night before -- just to make sure you get the message across," coach John Tortorella said. "I thought our guys showed up every day."

The other Rangers scratches were Steve Eminger (ankle), who said he's close to returning to skate, John Scott and Jeff Woywitka. Zenon Konopka, Bobby Butler, Matt Carkner and Rob Klinkhammer were the scratched Senators.