The Rangers have been one of the luckiest clubs in the NHL when it comes to losing players to the COVID protocol list, with only Kaapo Kakko remaining out of the game for that reason before Saturday’s game in Washington.
But Kakko, who missed the Feb. 1 contest against the Penguins after recording a false positive in a test, was back on the list and therefore unavailable for the 4-1 victory over the Penguins. capitals.
“This has happened this morning, so we haven’t had a chance to talk yet,” coach David Quinn said after the contest. “Obviously, you’re always worried about someone getting on this list, so we’ll talk here soon and see how it feels.
“From what I collect there have been no symptoms yet, so I’ll find out much later.”
Of course, according to league regulations, Quinn will not be allowed to reveal what she is learning. It would be up to Kakko, who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at an early age, to divulge details if desired.
Filip Chytil has been on the COVID-19 list since the beginning of the week while remaining on the injured reserve. Chtyil, who has lost 11 in a row since suffering an unidentified upper body injury in Pittsburgh on Jan. 24, had skated before entering the roster. It is unknown to what extent the return date may be affected. The Rangers originally projected that the 21-year-old center would miss four to six weeks.
The Blueshirts eliminated Capitals’ four power plays, including one in which Mika Zibanejad scored an empty net at 5:48 p.m. in the third period with a 6-on-4 lead. 8:00 of abbreviated work, they have killed 31 of the last 32 man advantages they have faced in the last nine games.
Overall, the club has killed 52 of 60 by 86.7 percent, placing it third in the league after the game.
Ryan Strome scored both a goal and an assist. The goal was the 100th of his career in the NHL, while attendance was his 100th point as a ranger. This made him the first player to hit the century mark in points with the Blueshirts and Islanders.
“I knew it and it was pretty interesting,” said Strome, who was selected fifth overall by the Islanders in 2011, a place before senators drafted Zibanejad. “I never would have thought when I was signed almost ten years ago that I would have 100 points with both the islanders and the Rangers given the hatred of this rivalry.
“It’s a pretty cool hit, not that it’s the way I thought it would work, but I’m happy to be a ranger, my time here has been pretty good and I’ve gotten to 100 here a lot faster than I did with the islanders , so it’s a little ticket under my belt that I’ll be happy with. “
Strome, who won 45-81 = 126 in 258 games over four seasons with the Islanders before being traded to Edmonton by Jordan Eberle, has gone from 41 to 60 = 101 in 149 games for the Blueshirts since getting from the Oilers in exchange for Ryan Spooner.
The Blueshirts won 32 of 56 on points, including Zibanejad’s 15 vs. 23. Strome won on 6 of 11.
The Rangers have put a limited number of tickets on sale for their next three home games, Feb. 26, Feb. 28 and March 2, for between $ 50 and $ 345. Attendance at these games is limited to nearly 2,000, and all users must adhere to COVID-19 protocols that include testing for a negative PCR test within 72 hours of the match.