The Rangers were one key man down for Sunday night’s 3-2 overtime win over the Canadiens in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference final at the Garden, because top center Derek Stepan had been released from the hospital earlier in the day following Friday’s surgery for a broken jaw.
Before his team went up in the best-of-seven series, 3-1, Stepan swung by the Garden on Sunday morning to say hello to his teammates. Coach Alain Vigneault said Stepan’ s status going forward is still uncertain.
“He’s recovering at home,” Vigneault said. “There is no timetable at this time.”
Stepan was hurt when he was hammered by a late hit by former teammate Brandon Prust, 2:55 into Game 3. Prust was not penalized on the play, but he did receive a two-game suspension, which began on Sunday and will continue with Game 5, Tuesday in Montreal.
Taking Stepan’s spot on the top line was Dominic Moore, skating between Chris Kreider and Rick Nash. Moore is regularly the fourth-line pivot, but already has shown his versatility by stepping in for the injured Derick Brassard in Games 2 and 3.
“[Moore’s] extremely mobile, very hard-working,” Kreider said. “He’s a consummate centerman, just the way he holds on to the puck and sees the ice. Regardless of who fills that role or how the lines are, we’re up for the challenge.”
With Brassard returning for Game 4, there was one forward spot to be filled, and it went to 21-year-old J.T. Miller, who started on the fourth line with Brian Boyle and Derek Dorsett.
Miller then seemingly hurt his right shoulder when he was plowed into the goal post by Montreal defenseman Andrei Markov midway through the second. Miller did not return.
Vigneault said Miller would have been able to play, but “he got out of the flow so much that I didn’t risk it.”
If Miller can’t go in Game 5, the most likely option is inexperienced Swede Jesper Fast.
Henrik Lundqvist got his first postseason point when he registered the second assist on Brassard’s second-period goal that gave the Rangers a 2-1 lead.
“I didn’t do much in that, but it feels good,” Lundqvist said. “We talked about me playing the puck more and helping the ‘D’ out. I think that part has been really good.”
The win was the 41st of Lundqvist’s postseason career, tying Mike Richter atop the Rangers list.
A day after Montreal forward Daniel Briere said Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh “slashes as much as anyone since Chris Pronger,” Habs coach Michel Therrien took another shot at how his team is being treated this series.
“I don’t think they gave a free pass to P.K. Subban, all the cheap shots that he got,” Therrien said before the game — in which Subban sold a second-period high-stick from Rick Nash by leaving his feet and grabbing his face. “But that’s OK. It’s the playoffs. It’s the beauty of it.”
Dan Carcillo, whose 10-game suspension started with Game 4, continued to practice with the Rangers at Sunday’s morning skate. The forward filed for the review of his suspension on Saturday afternoon, and his in-person meeting with commissioner Gary Bettman was pending. He was disciplined as a result of an altercation with a referee in Game 3.