Derick Brassard latest player to contract mumps

The Rangers thought they had dodged a bullet after isolating Tanner Glass, who had a case of mumps and missed four games, but center Derick Brassard was sent home Sunday after contracting the illness.

The diagnosis came on the same day that Penguins star Sidney Crosby's case of mumps was confirmed. Fourteen players on five NHL teams have been sickened by the viral infection.

"All our guys have had their shots, and . . . it's nature," Alain Vigneault said. "Maybe it's because we played against Pittsburgh [last] Monday and he was head-to-head against Sid. Maybe Sid gave it to him. I don't know. But he's got it now and we've got to deal with it."

Players received booster immunizations after Glass became ill on Nov. 28 and was sent home. He was isolated for five days and has recovered. Glass, who was scratched in Vancouver on Saturday, was back in the lineup Sunday night and Vigneault said J.T. Miller would move from wing to center.

It is unclear how or when Brassard, who appeared fine after Saturday night's game in Vancouver, contracted the virus.

"Our docs and I'm sure all the teams in the NHL have done everything they're supposed to," Vigneault said. "They were tested for whatever at the beginning of the year. Some guys are more prone to it than others. They've been taken care of. There's nothing I can do about it. We play with the healthy guys."

Brassard, who will miss Tuesday night's game in Calgary and possibly Saturday's game at Carolina, has eight goals and 16 assists and had played in all 27 games.

Henrik goes back-to-back

In a departure from past strategy, Vigneault started the same goalie in back-to-backs for the first time in four such series this season. Henrik Lundqvist -- who made 14 of his 29 saves in the third period in the 5-1 victory over the Canucks on Saturday night -- and not backup Cam Talbot faced the Oilers. Lundqvist and Talbot each had played in the previous three back-to-backs.