As if four straight wins wasn’t going to be hard enough, the Rangers will likely have to begin the unlikely turnaround with a depleted defense.
Already without Marc Staal (eye), the Rangers look like they will be without Anton Stralman tonight in Game 4 after he took a huge hit from Boston’s Milan Lucic on Tuesday night.
Stralman did not return for the third period of the Rangers’ 2-1 loss in Game 3 and did not participate at yesterday’s optional practice. The 26-year-old defenseman has not been officially ruled out, but Rangers coach John Tortorella sounded like he expected to be shorthanded.
“Losing [Stralman] is a big blow to us,” Tortorella said. “He puts himself in a situation there where he’s playing in an area to try and make a play and gets hurt. He’s done that really through the playoffs here. To a defense that I think is lacking a little depth right now, it hurts us.”
If Stralman is unable to play, the Rangers could replace him with either Matt Gilroy or Roman Hamrlik, who both skated with the team yesterday. The status of Staal, whose appearance in Game 3 against Washington was his lone playing time in more than two months, is unknown.
“[Stralman’s] been huge in this series,” Ryan McDonagh said. “He’s such a mobile skater and that’s huge as a defenseman. He’s able to get a step on a guy and create some space and find a passing lane to get it up to our forwards. He’s been exceptional in the playoffs and we really hope he’s back.”
* Forward Chris Kreider did not skate after getting hit in the face by the stick of Bruins forward Tyler Seguin and his availability for Game 4 will be evaluated this morning.
Forward Ryane Clowe skated with teammates for the first time since Game 5 against the Capitals, in which he is suspected to have suffered his second concussion in the past month.
Carl Hagelin, who was hit in the face with a puck in Game 3, also participated in the practice, along with Darroll Powe, who declined to reveal his status after skating for the fifth day in a row. Powe has been sidelined since Game 3 against Washington with what is believed to be a concussion.