Ryan Lindgren back for Rangers against Stars after ugly Stadium Series injury
Here’s a New York Rangers story you’ve surely heard before. Ryan Lindgren gets injured in ugly fashion, receives stitches and won’t miss a game.
So it goes with the rugged Rangers defenseman.
Lindgren was wearing a full face shield, but was on the ice taking part in New York’s morning skate Tuesday and will play in the home game against the Dallas Stars. Lindgren didn’t finish the outdoor Stadium Series game against the Islanders on Sunday after he was struck in the face by Alexander Romanov’s stick on a follow through early in the third period.
The Rangers 26-year-old defenseman told reporters Tuesday his eye was swollen shut after the incident and he received 10 stitches.
Coach Peter Laviolette said he isn’t surprised Lindgren that Lindgren was right back out on the ice Tuesday.
“Not really. Not when you get to know a player, their makeup and their DNA and what’s inside of that person and what makes them tick,” Laviolette explained. “He’s a warrior out there, everybody knows that.
“We’re still going to have him seen [by medical personnel] before he gets in a game tonight but he certainly looked good out there and it was all positive today.”
Related: Rangers react to ‘heartbreaking’ Blake Wheeler injury ahead of Stadium Series
Ryan Lindgren to play for Rangers vs. Stars after receiving 10-stitch cut in Stadium Series
Lindgren was cut on the play and was in a heap against the boards when Romanov scored seconds later to give the Islanders a 5-3 lead at 1:53. Lindgren was helped off the ice and didn’t return with an upper-body injury. But the Rangers did manage an improbable comeback to defeat the Islanders 6-5 in overtime.
“It sucks when a guy goes down and you don’t see him back on the bench later on,” Adam Fox said postgame Sunday. “I’m sure he’ll be able to bounce back sooner than most, and obviously we were able to rally back and get the win.”
It was just another time the Rangers handled injury adversity this season. Filip Chytil is out for the season with a suspected concussion after the center played 10 games. Forward Kaapo Kakko missed 21 games with a lower-body injury. Fox missed 10 with a lower-body injury. And Blake Wheeler is now out for the rest of the regular season with a lower-body injury sustained last week against the Montreal Canadiens.
Yet, the Rangers (36-13-7) are first in the Metropolitan Division and have won a season-high seven straight games.
“It sucks, but we talk about injuries all year and we’ve dealt with our fair share,” Fox said.
Like Dan Girardi a decade before, Lindgren has an incredible ability to play through pain and be there for the Rangers despite injuries. It’s been a staple of Lindgren’s career since he entered the NHL during the 2018-19 season, though his all-out style of play has limited him to 63 games or fewer in all but one of his five full seasons in the League.
Lindgren is averaging 19:13 in ice time this season, paired, as usual, with Fox. He has 10 points (two goals, eight assists) in 53 games.
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