The initial prognosis seemed positive for the health of Dan Girardi, as the Rangers defenseman was forced to leave his team’s 2-1 win over the Bruins on Monday night at the Garden with a right-hand laceration.
Girardi had taken a Torey Krug shot in the hand with just over four minutes gone by in the second period. He made his way to the bench, and then quickly to the locker room, not to return.
“The first indication is it’s not broken,” coach Alain Vigneault said. “It was just a cut due to the velocity of the shot there. We will know more [Tuesday], but at this time it just seems like it’s a cut on the thumb.”
Girardi had missed five games preceding the Christmas break with swelling in his right knee due to a crack in his kneecap. If he can’t play Thursday in Brooklyn against the Islanders, the natural fill-in would be big-bodied 23-year-old rookie Dylan McIlrath, who has been a healthy scratch for the past six games.
The Rangers played the rest of the game with five defenseman, while the two remaining right-side blue liners, Kevin Klein (25:50) and Dan Boyle (23:09) picked up the slack in ice time.
“We always talk about when someone goes down, you have to have guys who step up and play more minutes and get more involved,” goalie Henrik Lundqvist said. “That’s what they did. I thought they played their best in the third, under pressure and down a man. That’s a great sign to see guys can step up like that.”
Winger Chris Kreider returned the lineup after a two-game absence due to a cut on the top of his right hand, suffered in a fight back on Jan. 2 against the Panthers in Florida. Kreider played 11:47, a team-low (besides Girardi), getting just two shifts in the final 9:51 of the third period as Vigneault went back to Rick Nash-Derick Brassard-Mats Zuccarello, as well as J.T. Miller-Derek Stepan-Jesper Fast down the stretch.
Kreider’s performance was low-lighted by him attempting to play one off the boards to himself through the neutral zone, only to see it intercepted by Zdeno Chara and turned the other way for Jimmy Hayes’ goal, giving the Bruins a 1-0 lead at 9:04 of the second period.
Kreider had another ghastly turnover late in the first period, whiffing the puck at his own blue line then unable to regain control, springing Bruins forward Ryan Spooner on a breakaway that beat Lundqvist but rang off the post, through Lundqvist’s legs and out of the crease.
“He’s missed a couple games and I know that this past week, even though he had the hand injury, he worked a lot,” Vigneault said about Kreider before the game. “Just keep his game simple. If he can do that, and use his attributes, use his strengths, he’s a solid player. We need him to play good for us.”
Kreider’s return made Oscar Lindberg a scratch, seemingly by not fault of his own.
“Had a left wing coming in,” Vigneault said, “so Oscar has played well, but get Kreids in.”
Goalie Antti Raanta was able to back up Lundqvist after he had missed Sunday’s practice with back stiffness.
The Garden put up a video tribute to recently deceased rock star David Bowie between the first and second periods. It showed him on stage singing “Heroes,” then put up the dates of his life and added a one-line epitaph: “One of the greatest visionaries to have ever set foot on our stage.”
Before play resumed, the house organist played an instrumental version of “Changes.” Both were met with applause.