Yes, the Rangers will be in Philadelphia for Wednesday’s match without Artemi Panarin (except for absence), Capo Kako (COVID-List), Jacob Trouba (broken thumb) and Philip Chipill (upper body injury).
But let’s hold “mourning them” memes.
Because the Blueshirts never considered giving back the double digits they earned last Thursday in the final win over the Flyers, missing Claude Giroux, Jacob Vorsack, Travis Conseni, Oskar Lindblom, Scott Betten and Justin Braun, all of COVID Were on -19 protocol list.
“This is a strange time and a strange year. I know I’ve said that a while back, but there are many other teams that are working with six, seven people, ”Chris Kreider said after Tuesday’s practice. “The Flyers are missing half, if not more than half of their top six.
“So it’s a challenging year, but I think the team that learns to roll with those punks and has the next man-up mentality is better to move forward.”
Panarin’s presence boosts the Rangers, who are 0-3 and have been outscored 10-4 in three competitions in the past two seasons. But it is up to the group to step up in his absence, as it can be proved.
“At the end of the day, none of us can do the things that Aarti can do and there are some things that we can do that Aarti can’t do”, Kreider said. He said, “There is not much of those things, but I will not go there and try to be an Artistic Panarin, I am not going to dance half the wall.”
“I’m a net-front guy, so I’ve got to do my job to the best of my ability and anyone can do it all.”
Ranger will open with Alexis Laffrinier to the left with Mika Zibanezad and Pavel Buchaniewicz. Kreider will skate alongside Ryan Strowman and Colin Blackwell. Kevin Rooney will set up between Phil Di Giuseppe and Johnny Brodzinski. Brendan Lemieux, Brett Howan and Julian Gothier will remain intact.
Until this all changes, it is.
Coach David Quinn said, “Maybe some change themselves quickly for the line as we’re trying to figure out the best matches.” “In our meetings to decide the lineup, we’ve probably changed it 10 or 11 times, so none of it is 100 percent, … none of which is locked in stone.” Things and seeing what can work and what doesn’t. “
Chitil, who was on the COVID-list for a week, discontinued it on Monday and skated before Tuesday’s practice. The center, who has been sidelined since January 26 with an unknown injury, may not be more than 10 days away from making his return. So that’s something.
“One of the things that the game does is that it really gives you a chance to show how tough you are mentally, and that’s something we’re testing,” Quinn said. “Everyone is during this season. Teams four, five and six were beaten by COVID and they advanced.
“Sports is all about how you handle adversity. It actually directs people who succeed individually and teams who succeed. This is the thing we have to face and the thing that we have to win. “
The Panarin situation, meanwhile, follows the Tony DeAngelo saga for about three weeks. COVID-19 for BluVirts has been the least of it.
“I jokingly told Alexis [Lafreniere] He said that he has been seen more, I guess a better word, a lack of drama and more than the wild and unconventional things I usually have experienced in the last decade, in the first two months of the season. “But I think it’s just the state of the world.”
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