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Having largely escaped the wave of COVID cases that have decimated multiple teams throughout the NHL, the Rangers were hit on Sunday when leading scorer Artemi Panarin was placed on the restricted list prior to the club’s afternoon match against the Lightning at the Garden.
Panarin, who leads the Blueshirts with 36 points (10-26), will miss at least the next three games under current protocols. The winger won’t be able to skate in this one, Monday’s match at home against the Oilers and Thursday’s contest in Vegas. His earliest return would be for the Jan. 8 match in Anaheim.
Alexis Lafreniere moved into the top six, playing left wing on the line with Ryan Strome in the middle and Barclay Goodrow on the right. Tim Gettinger, recently promoted from the AHL Wolf Pack, got into the lineup as left wing on the fourth line.
The Rangers have Panarin, Ryan Lindgren, Kevin Rooney and Jarred Tinordi on the COVID list as Alex Georgiev came off the list Saturday to back up Igor Shesterkin against Tampa Bay. Assistant coach Mike Kelly also was placed on the COVID list on Sunday.
Patrik Nemeth missed the game with a non-COVID related issue, thus opening a spot for Zac Jones to make his 2021-22 NHL debut.
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