Jacob Trouba suspended two games in latest Rangers’ blow
As if the New York Rangers don’t have enough problems, they will be without Jacob Trouba when they visit the Ottawa Senators on Saturday.
Trouba was suspended two games by the NHL Department of Player Safety on Saturday afternoon. The Rangers captain was disciplined for elbowing Vegas Golden Knights forward Pavel Dorofeyev in a 5-2 loss at Madison Square Garden on Friday.
Though there was no penalty called on the play at 18:08 of the second period, Dorofeyev left the game and didn’t return. Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said Dorofeyev sustained an upper-body injury.
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Rangers could be without two key defensemen against Senators
The Rangers could be missing two of their top-four defensemen against the Senators. Ryan Lindgren sustained an upper-body injury in the first period Friday and is a game-time decision Saturday.
Zac Jones is expected to play. The Rangers also recalled defenseman Connor Mackey from Hartford of the American Hockey League on Saturday afternoon.
Jones has three assists and is a minus-nine in 15 games this season. He’s played twice in January, including 10:51 in a 2-1 loss at the Los Angeles Kings one week ago when he spotted in for Erik Gustafsson.
Mackey has yet to play with the Rangers. He appeared in 30 games with the Calgary Flames and Arizona Coyotes last season and has eight points (two goals, six assists) in 28 games this season with Hartford.
Trouba had one assist and led New York with six shots on goal in the loss to the Golden Knights. He has 19 points (three goals, 16 assists) in 48 games this season.
Jacob Trouba suspension latest bad news for Rangers
There was more bad news before the game Friday. Filip Chytil had to be helped off the ice during the morning skate. Coach Peter Laviolette confirmed later that Chytil suffered a setback related to the injury that’s kept him out of the lineup for 38 games. That injury, sustained Nov. 2, has been termed “upper body” by the Rangers. Chytil had just resumed practicing with the team after spending the previous four weeks in Czechia.
The Rangers, who are 3-6-2 in their past 11 games, play their final game Saturday before the bye and NHL All-Star break. They will be off for eight days before resuming their schedule Feb. 5 at home against the Colorado Avalanche.
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