It does not appear that Artemi Panarin will be available for the New York Rangers for Tuesday night’s game against the New Jersey Devils.
The superstar winger suffered a lower-body injury during Wednesday’s loss against the Boston Bruins and missed Friday’s second leg, also a loss.
The Rangers received some extra time to get Panarin back in the lineup after Sunday’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers — who are completing their run-in with COVID-19 — was postponed.
While Panarin skated on his own on Monday, he did not participate in team practice, which suggests that he’ll be sitting out for a second straight game Tuesday night.
“Unless he comes in and is chomping at the bit and takes a pregame skate, then the chances are zero he’ll play,” Rangers head coach David Quinn said. “If he comes back and feels really good and wants to skate in the morning, then we’ll make a decision then.
“That won’t necessarily mean he’ll definitely play, but there will be a conversation.”
Panarin leads the Rangers with five goals and 10 assists (15 points) in 12 games this season and had been shouldering a majority of the offensive load while Mika Zibanejad struggles to find the scoring touch that saw him post 41 goals last season.
In 13 games this year, Zibanejad has just one goal and two assists.
