Rangers again forced to play with shorthanded lineup
The Rangers leave the ice after losing to the Bruins during an NHL game on Saturday in Boston. Credit: AP/Michael Dwyer
BOSTON — With Tyler Motte unable to play after being knocked out of Thursday’s game against Ottawa by Austin Watson’s hit to the head, and Ryan Lindgren missing his fourth game with a shoulder injury (suffered on a hit into the boards on Feb. 25 by Washington’s T.J. Oshie), the Rangers again dressed a roster two short of the maximum 18 skaters and two goalies for Saturday’s matinee against the Bruins at TD Garden.
Gerard Gallant, who called both hits “dirty’’ after the games, said he was “surprised’’ that Watson, who was given a major penalty and a game misconduct for his hit on Motte, wasn’t suspended by the NHL on Friday. (Oshie was not penalized at all for his hit on Lindgren.)
“I’m not disappointed. But I’m surprised,’’ Gallant said of the league not suspending Watson. “We don’t play Ottawa again [this season]. It means nothing to me moving forward. But I thought it was a bad hit, and I was shocked the next day when nothing was done.’’
Meanwhile, after pulling out all the stops to squeeze Patrick Kane onto the roster, the Rangers were forced for the second time in three games to play with only 11 forwards and five defensemen dressed rather than the usual 12 and six.
The Rangers have no space under the salary cap to call up a replacement player from the minor leagues in the event of an injury. There is a provision that allows capped-out teams to make an emergency call-up after they’ve played one game below the game roster limit, but the NHL denied the Rangers’ bid to have a replacement player called up for Thursday’s game and didn’t allow them to call anyone up Saturday, either.
Gallant continued to insist that playing with a shorthanded lineup hasn’t been a problem for the Rangers.
“Like I said, if it lasted for a long period of time, maybe yes, if you’re playing a bunch of games,’’ he said. “But as of right now, I haven’t seen it. And nobody’s complained.’’
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.
