RALEIGH, N. C. — Henrik Lundqvist and Rick Nash joined Michael Grabner in street clothes for Thursday’s 4-3 defeat to the Hurricanes after reporting to the rink with ailments that kept them off the ice for the morning skate.
Lundqvist apparently sustained a lower-body injury during Tuesday’s 5-2 victory over the Panthers during which he made 43 saves. Nash has an upper-body issue that he had been playing through the last couple of games through which he had 10 shots on net.
“It was just too painful today,” coach Alain Vigneault said of Nash after pronouncing both the winger and goaltender “day-to-day.” Nash was on the exercise bike while Lundqvist was engaged in at least a light off-ice workout while their teammates were on the ice.
Grabner, sidelined for six straight games since sustaining a hip injury on Adam Clendening’s cross-check during a March 1 practice, participated in early line rushes during the skate, but later moved to a spare defense role.
“Michael tried it, but he’s not ready,” Vigneault said. “Day-to-day.”
Antti Raanta, who lost a start for the first time since Dec. 20 in Pittsburgh, was in nets. Matt Puempel, a healthy scratch for two straight and seven of the previous 10 games, replaced Nash in the lineup.
Puempel joined the third line with Jimmy Vesey and Kevin Hayes while J.T. Miller moved into Nash’s slot on the unit with Mika Zibanejad and Pavel Buchnevich. The two other units remained intact with Derek Stepan centering Chris Kreider and Mats Zuccarello while Oscar Lindberg skated between Tanner Glass and Brandon Pirri.
But with Buchnevich (among others) struggling, Vigneault moved Glass up late in the third period., Indeed, No. 15 was on the ice for a pair of shifts totaling 60 seconds in the final 2:36 with the Rangers down by a goal.
Brandon Halverson, recalled on an emergency basis from ECHL Greenville, dressed as Raanta’s back-up. The 20-year-old netminder is on a two-way contract under which he is paid $70,000 while in the minors and $742,500 in the NHL. Hence, Halverson earned more than 10 times his daily pay for his stay in Raleigh.
Kevin Hayes was cut over the left eye on a high stick from Derek Ryan at 5:04 of the first period. Hayes, who went to the locker room for stitches, returned with 7:44 remaining and was part of the defensive zone mix-up that contributed to Carolina’s first goal with 6:45 to go in the period.
Chris Kreider tied Grabner for the team lead in goals with his 26th that came on a five-on-three at 7:24 of the first period. The goal was the Blueshirts’ first in eight two-man advantages this season.
The loss ended the Rangers’ five-game road winning streak and was just the club’s second in its last 11 and third in the last 16 games away from the Garden. The Blueshirts, who returned to New York following the match, are in Detroit on Sunday night.