The New York Rangers will be without Derek Stepan for the next 4-6 weeks due to broken ribs, suffered as a result of a questionable hit by Boston Bruins forward Matt Beleskey.
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The Rangers had lost three in a row, all in regulation before facing the lowly Carolina Hurricanes at the Garden Monday night.
If Stepan is placed on long-term injured reserve, the Rangers would be able to make room for call-ups.
The Rangers went 0-for-2 on the power play Saturday, after scoring goals in four straight and six of the previous eight games, and in fact was cranking along at a very respectable 25 percent over the previous 17 games.
We’ll continue to update as we hear more. The depth will be when the team leaves for three-game, six-day swing through Western Canada early next week.
Oscar Lindberg will now have Chris Kreider on his left side with Jesper Fast on the right.
Despite Vigneault saying he didn’t expect the team to recall anyone immediately, the Rangers have recalled Jayson Megna from Hartford. That put Hayes between J.T. Miller on the left and Viktor Stalberg on the right, while the fourth line of Dominic Moore-Jarret Stoll-Emerston Etem was reunited. Their first line of Rick Nash, Derrick Brassard, and Mats Zuccarello will remain intact, but the others have changed. Initially the Rangers said Stepan was out indefinitely. Veteran Dan Boyle returned to the lineup for his 19th start.
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“I think it’s pretty obvious what I said”.
