Chris Kreider was not suspended for his dangerous cross-check on Willie Mitchell that sent the defenseman into the rear boards early in the third period of the Rangers’ 3-0 defeat to the Panthers in Florida on Saturday, but the Blueshirts winger nevertheless may not be available for Tuesday’s Garden match against the Stars.
For not only was Kreider pronounced “doubtful” by coach Alain Vigneault following Monday’s practice in which No. 20 did not participate after suffering a hand laceration in the fracas with Brandon Pirri that immediately followed the check, the cap-strapped Blueshirts recalled winger Jayson Megna from the AHL Wolf Pack to be on hand for the morning skate.
“Chris has a cut on [the top of] his hand that can’t be stitched together because of where it is,” Vigneault said. “He’s day-to-day and doubtful for [Tuesday].”
Kevin Hayes, a healthy scratch for the last two matches, will return to duty, while Megna — who recorded 18 points (7-11) in 34 games with Hartford and has posted 10 points (5-5) in a 48-game NHL career spent with the Penguins — seems poised to take Emerson Etem’s spot in the lineup.
Hayes, who skated between Oscar Lindberg and Jesper Fast while also taking a spot on the second power-play unit at practice, declined to speak to the press after coming off the ice.
Vigneault said he will leave the J.T. Miller-Derick Brassard-Mats Zuccarello unit intact for the third straight game. The coach could slide Megna onto the right side with Rick Nash and Derek Stepan, who will skate together for the third straight match.
The Rangers were operating with approximately $1 million of full-season space before recalling Megna, for whom the club will be charged a pro-rated $600,000 for each day he is on the roster.
Etem, who has played in nine of the last 10 matches, had a disastrous night against the Panthers, during which he was deficient in all three zones. The winger, on a one-year contract worth $850,500, cannot be sent to Hartford without going through waivers he likely would not clear.
The Rangers, who had moved up to fourth in the NHL in power-play efficiency at the Christmas recess, slid to 13th (19.8 percent) by going 0-for-9 on their trip through Nashville, Tampa Bay and Florida in which the club lost two of three in regulation.
The Blueshirts’ second unit has not been on for power-play goal since Lindberg scored against Carolina on Nov. 30, a drought of 14 games through which the team has gone 8-for-46 with the man advantage. Stepan, Miller, Hayes, Lindberg and Keith Yandle formed the second unit at practice with Brassard, Zuccarello, Nash, Ryan McDonagh and Dan Boyle comprising the first unit.
The 28-9-4 Stars lead the Caps by one point for first overall in the NHL after consecutive defeats to the Devils (in overtime) and the Islanders, though Washington holds three games in hand.
The 21-14-5 Rangers have a four-point lead over the Penguins, Lightning and Senators for the conference’s final playoff spot, with Pittsburgh holding a game in hand. The Blueshirts are 5-11-2 in their past 18 games, beginning with the Nov. 25 defeat to Montreal.
“Our best hockey has got to come here. We need to bring it,” said Vigneault, whose team will have Henrik Lundqvist in nets against the Stars, who lead the NHL in scoring at 3.49 goals per game. “We need Hank to re-become the Hank we’re used to.
“Everything from there should fall into place.”