J.T. Miller out for Rangers game against Mammoth with upper-body injury
The New York Rangers will try to end their three-game losing streak Saturday when they skate against the Utah Mammoth — and they’ll have to do it without captain J.T. Miller. The 32-year-old center is day to day with an upper-body injury and won’t play in the finale of New York’s three-game road trip.
“Tough guy to replace,” coach Mike Sullivan said after the morning skate. “He’s hard to play against. He makes an impact on the game even when he doesn’t end up on the score sheet.”
Asked how long Miller might be out, Sullivan said, “We’ll take it as it comes right now. He’s day to day.”
Miller scored a pair of power-play goals in a 6-3 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday. Sullivan confirmed Miller was hurt during that game, but he didn’t specify when or how the injury occurred.
It likely happened in the second period during a penalty kill when Miller accidentally collided with an Avalanche player when crossing the blue line to backcheck in his own end. Miller appeared dazed and in obvious distress, but finished the shift and continued to play. His deflection midway through the third period tied the score 3-3, but Colorado answered 30 seconds later and went on to hand New York its third consecutive defeat.
Despite a frustratingly slow start this season, Miller is tied for second on the Rangers with six goals and tied for fourth with 12 points in 22 games. That’s way off his career norms — and a big reason why the Rangers are averaging just 2.50 goals per game, 30th in the NHL.
“if I can raise my personal standard and lead the team a littler bit better production-wise, I think our outcomes in these games are going to change,” Miller said Tuesday following a 3-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. “So, it’s making me frustrated, and it’s hard to control that sometimes, if I’m just being honest. I understand that if I’m producing the way I’m capable of producing our record might look a helluva’ lot different.
“Trust me, it’s on my mind. But at the same time, I’ve come a long way in the sense of not getting wrapped up in that sh–.”
Miller remains a physical presence and does so many important things for the Rangers, including winning 57.7 percent of his face-offs, ninth-best in the League among players who’ve taken at least 300 draws.
Rangers shuffle lineup against Mammoth with J.T. Miller out
With Miller out, Jonny Brodzinski bumps up from the third line to play wing on a top-six trio alongside Mika Zibanejad and Will Cuylle. Brodzinski has three points (two goals, one assist) in 11 games, and scored a goal against the Golden Knights on Tuesday.
Taylor Raddysh moves up from the fourth line to replace Brodzinski next to Noah Laba and Conor Sheary. Also, Juuso Parssinen draws into the lineup on the fourth line, to play alongside Sam Carrick and Adam Edstrom.
Cuylle bumps up from the second power-play unit to replace Miller on PP1.
