Rangers may have suffered on power play without Derek Stepan, whose return is uncertain
New York Rangers center Derek Stepan looks on before a face-off against the Montreal Canadiens in the second period of a game at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2015. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
Was not having center Derek Stepan, who broke two ribs on a check from Boston's Matt Beleskey on Friday, a factor in Saturday's loss? Perhaps on the 0-for-2 power play.
Stepan was being examined by team doctors, and at a postgame briefing, coach Alain Vigneault was not sure of the diagnosis and could not say how much time Stepan will miss. After a day off Sunday, the Rangers will play three games in four nights.
The two power plays came in the first period.
Dylan McIlrath, who came to Stepan's defense by confronting and pummeling Beleskey, drilled Flyers defenseman Nick Schulz along the right boards at 10:58. Luke Schenn made a beeline for McIlrath, who obliged with a bout. Schenn received two minutes for instigating, five for fighting and a 10- minute misconduct. Schultz did not return.
At 18:57, the Flyers' Radko Gudas dumped Viktor Stalberg behind the net, and when Stalberg skated over, cursing him, Gudas delivered a cross-check to the face and was whistled for unsportsmanlike conduct.
Nash's streak ends
Rick Nash's goal-scoring streak ended Saturday at four games, but like his teammates, he was more disenchanted with the loss. "I feel like as good as a team I know we can be, when you lose one, let alone two, you push the urgency button," said Nash, who had six goals in the four games. "Three is not acceptable for a team of our caliber."
Nash had three of the team's 24 shots on goal, missed the net twice and had another two attempts blocked. Nash's center, Derick Brassard, spread the blame around: "I feel we're a little shaky now in the offensive end . . . We have to find a way to spend more time there."
Blue lines
The Rangers, with 12 healthy forwards, will not summon any extras, with Vigneault citing salary-cap issues . . . Kevin Hayes moved back to center from right wing, with Chris Kreider on the left and Emerson Etem on the right. Stalberg returned to the fourth line after being a healthy scratch. Kreider was added to the first power-play unit. The changes were not effective . . . Dan Boyle was a healthy scratch.
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