After a two-month absence from action, Marc Staal returned from an eye injury for Game 3 against the Capitals, but the Rangers’ All-Star defenseman’s status for Friday night’s Game 5 in Washington, and the rest of the first-round series, is in doubt.
Following Monday’s game and Tuesday’s practice, Staal, who had been out since March 5 after getting hit in the right eye with a puck, said he felt good and was looking forward to playing in Game 4, but the 26-year-old surprisingly was not in the lineup on Wednesday.
Staal mentioned after Game 3 that his return was delayed by a setback the previous week, but the issue had since cleared.
Staal was not available for comment, and Rangers coach John Tortorella would not provide an update on Staal’s condition, but fellow defenseman Ryan McDonagh applauded his teammate’s decision not to rush back if he wasn’t ready.
“It takes an honest and humble decision by him knowing he didn’t want to put the team in jeopardy,” McDonagh said after the Rangers’ 4-3 win Wednesday night at the Garden. “It takes a lot of guts to do that.”
Tortorella did not believe honesty was the best policy.
“Mac should shut up,” Tortorella said after yesterday morning’s practice in Greenburgh. “It’s none of his business.”
* Ryane Clowe returned to action on Wednesday after missing the previous four games with what is believed to be a concussion, producing an assist and four hits in more than 12 minutes.
The veteran forward’s 68 games of playoff experience were immediately evident to Tortorella.
“You can see that was going to be a major asset for us in the playoffs, with the way you have to play along the walls,” Tortorella said of the forward acquired from San Jose. “I thought him stepping in after the time he’s missed, I thought he did a really good job.
“That’s where the games are won or lost along the walls. You can see his experience and you can see that he wants to play. He missed a little bit here, and he wants to make a difference.”
* Rangers forward Darroll Powe did not participate in practice and is expected to miss Game 5 after suffering what is believed to be a concussion in Game 3.
* The Capitals will be without right wing Martin Erat, who suffered an upper-body injury in Game 4.
Erat was injured in a collision near the net with Alex Ovechkin and Derek Stepan late in the first period.
Capitals coach Adam Oates would not name Erat’s replacement, but Washington called up Joey Crabb and Tom Wilson from the AHL.
* If the Rangers and Penguins advance, the Blueshirts would not have to face top-seeded Pittsburgh. That task would fall to the No. 7 seed Senators, who eliminated the Canadiens in five games after their 6-1 victory last night.