Zibanejad takes step forward after concussion

Measuring progress in recovering from a concussion is an inexact science where one step forward can immediately be followed by two steps back.

But Mika Zibanejad does seem to be on the right track. The Blueshirts’ firstline center, sidelined for the last two games with the injury that was triggered by a hit he sustained against Detroit on Nov. 24, was able to work out on the stationary bike at the club’s practice rink Monday.

“I can’t tell you exactly where he is on the protocol, but he rode the bike,” said coach Alain Vigneault, whose team is in Pittsburgh on Tuesday. “He’s following the protocol. It’s day-by-day, how he feels.”

David Desharnais will continue to take Zibanejad’s spot between Chris Kreider and Pavel Buchnevich while also sliding into the position temporarily vacated by No. 93 on the first power-play unit.

The power-play dynamic

has necessarily changed with the lefty Desharnais replacing the right-handed Zibanejad, whose off-side one-timer from the circle has been a substantial weapon.

➤ Filip Chytil is on a day-to-day basis for the AHL Wolf Pack after sustaining what has been diagnosed as a cervical sprain when the 18-year-

old center went face-first into the glass on a check from behind at 15:49 of the third period of Saturday’s overtime loss to the Toronto Marlies.

➤ The Rangers play six games in nine days beginning with Friday’s match in Washington that’s the front end of a back-to-back that concludes the following night at home against the Devils and no, Henrik

Lundqvist is not going to start them all.

Vigneault did not specify when, but the coach did say that he expects Ondrej

Pavelec, whose last start came Oct. 28 in Montreal, to get the call a couple of times within that stretch.

“I would say [Pavelec] is going to play at least two,” Vigneault said. “That’s what I’m planning.”