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Forward Ryan Strome sustained an undisclosed lower-body injury in the first period of the Rangers’ 5-4 overtime win over the Sabres on Sunday.
After logging roughly 5 ½ minutes over six shifts in just the opening frame, the Rangers second-line center did not return from the locker room following the first intermission. It is unclear when Strome sustained his injury or how.
“I don’t see anything serious,” head coach Gerard Gallant said after the game.
Strome, who has 15 goals and 30 assists, has only missed four games so far this season, when he was in COVID-19 protocol back in October.
Barclay Goodrow primarily filled in for Strome on the second line alongside Artemi Panarin and trade-deadline acquisition Andrew Copp. That new-look second unit logged 6:31 together, according to Natural Stat Trick, recording one goal and two high-danger scoring chances.
Tyler Motte, who also joined the Rangers at the trade deadline, took some reps alongside Panarin and Copp as well. Copp replaced Strome on the Rangers’ first and only power play in the second period.
With the Rangers up 2-0 toward the end of the first period, Strome stumbled into a turnover that led to the Sabres’ first goal of the night from defenseman Rasmus Asplund. While trying to skate out of the defensive zone, Strome coughed the puck up to Buffalo forward Victor Olofsson and the Sabres were able to keep it in before Asplund scored at the far back post with 1:48 left in the opening 20 minutes.
Goalie Alexandar Georgiev earned the starting nod in the win, marking his third start in the Rangers’ last 10 games.
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Finishing with 13 saves, Georgiev improved to 10-9-2 on the season, while the Rangers jumped to 42-19-5.
This is the most consistent playing time Georgiev has seen since starter Igor Shesterkin missed eight straight games in December with a suspected groin injury. The Rangers have fallen into the pattern of giving Georgiev a game to every two that Shesterkin gets, but that’ll probably be disrupted by the back-to-back matchups with the Penguins and the Red Wings on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively.
Gallant hasn’t played the same goalie in any back-to-backs this season, and he reiterated that he doesn’t intend to do so in the three the Rangers have remaining. The goal is to ensure that goaltending is not tired heading into the playoffs.
Forward Ryan Reaves was a healthy scratch for the second game in a row and the third time this season, joining Greg McKegg, Julien Gauthier and Libor Hajek. … Trade-deadline acquisition Justin Braun was also in street clothes for the second straight game, after the Flyers shipped the veteran defenseman to New York last Monday.
Rangers head athletic trainer Jim Ramsay was honored on the MSG jumbotron in the first period for working is 2,500th NHL game.
The Rangers venture to Pittsburgh to face the Penguins for the second time in five days Tuesday night before heading to Detroit to square off with the Red Wings on Wednesday.
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