NHL

Brassard likely back for Game 3 in New York

MONTREAL — There is a French-Canadian understanding between Rangers coach Alain Vigneault and center Derick Brassard.

Brassard missed Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals on Monday night at the Bell Centre with an upper-body injury suffered early in Game 1.

“He wasn’t ready,” Vigneault said, both he and Brassard from the province of Quebec. “Couldn’t stop a French guy from playing in Montreal.”

When asked if Brassard might be ready for Game 3 on Thursday night at the Garden, the Rangers up in this best-of-seven series, 2-0, Vigneault went to his go-to joke.

“If I were a betting man,” he said, before trailing off in the way indicating Brassard most likely will be ready.


Vigneault noted after Game 2 he had “an inclination” the Canadiens were going to play 24-year-old rookie Dustin Tokarski in place of injured starter Carey Price. When asked if he had another inclination on Tuesday, he went the same ambiguous route.

“I do,” Vigneault said, “but I’m not willing to share it with you.”

Tokarski played admirably in the 3-1 loss, and the fact he is in nets in place of Price instead of regular backup Peter Budaj is not changing anything for the Blueshirts.

“I think their goalie had a great game,” Rick Nash said, having beat Tokarski on a one-timer in the first period. “He made some great saves. … Every goalie in this league is a great goalie. They play in the NHL, so we’ll not get ahead of ourselves on that.”


The Rangers took four offensive-zone penalties in Game 2, two from Benoit Pouliot and one apiece from Chris Kreider and Carl Hagelin. They were fortunate the Canadiens’ potent power play was unable to score in four separate chances over 6:34.

“Three penalties, 200 feet from our net — not crazy about it,” Vigneault said.


Center Derek Stepan did his best to not show off his broken front-right tooth, but when it was brought up, he blew an opportunity most hockey players would take to seem tough.

“It’s just a cap that fell off,” said Stepan, who took a big hit from David Desharnais early in the second period of Game 2. “It’s not hockey related.”