Amid Isles' COVID outbreak, Rangers' Mika Zibanejad 'trusts' that it was OK for game to be played

Rangers center Mika Zibanejad, who had COVID at the start of last season, and who was forced to miss practice Saturday after getting a false positive test for the virus, said he was not especially uncomfortable playing a game against the Islanders, who are battling a COVID outbreak.

"It’s not really up to us to decide to play, or not,’’ Zibanejad said after the Rangers’ morning skate at UBS Arena. "We just trust that everything is being taken care of, and just focus on the game, and we’ll go from there.’’

The Islanders had seven players on their roster unavailable because they were in COVID protocol, and GM Lou Lamoriello said Tuesday the team had spoken to the NHL about whether the league would postpone Wednesday’s game against the Rangers. The Rangers’ game last Saturday against the Ottawa Senators was one of three Senators games that were postponed after the Senators had 10 players and an assistant coach in protocol.

Zibanejad, meanwhile, said he knew when he tested positive over the weekend that it likely was a false positive.

"That’s happened before,’’ he said. "I felt good, and when they called me [Friday] night, they said it was a high possibility it was [false positive]. And I felt completely fine, so that was it.’’

Igor in net

Igor Shesterkin got the start in goal, despite an 0-4-1 career record, 3.62 goals-against average and .879 save percentage against them. Backup goaltender Alexandar Georgiev is 7-3 against the Islanders, with a 1.84 GAA, .939 save percentage and two shutouts.

"I don’t take [record vs. an opponent] into account a whole lot,’’ Rangers coach Gerard Gallant said. "Benny [Allaire, the Rangers’ director of goaltending] does. He looks at records in the past, and all that stuff. I’m more worried about this year, with what I know of our goaltending and the way they’re playing, and you know, Shesty’s been outstanding.’’

Shesterkin stopped 20 of 21 shots.

Lafreniere also gets after Pageau

Adam Fox took a roughing penalty when he attacked Jean-Gabriel Pageau after Pageau hit his defense partner, Ryan Lindgren, and then Alexis Lafreniere later fought Pageau, which impressed his teammates.

"That was awesome,’’ Chris Kreider said of Lafreniere. "For a kid who's just turned 20, he's very strong. He's only going to get stronger. And for first overall pick with the amount of skill that he has, he loves mixing it up.’’

Blue notes

Greg McKegg, Jarred Tinordi and Libor Hajek were the Rangers’ scratches.

By Colin Stephenson

colin.stephenson@newsday.comColinSNewsday

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.