Quinn out at least two more games

Kris Knoblauch, who was behind the bench Saturday night for the Rangers’ 3-1 victory in Washington in his third game as acting head coach while David Quinn remains in COVID protocol, will maintain his status for at least two more games this week, according to the NHL’s Positive Test Protocol.

Quinn went on the COVID-19 restricted list last Wednesday. Though the Rangers have not confirmed that the 54-year-old coach tested positive, it is safe to draw that inference as he quarantines.

RANGERS NOTES

Friday will be 10 days since Quinn’s presumed positive test. The Rangers host the Sabres on Monday and play at Philadelphia on Thursday, so those games would be helmed by Knoblauch. The Blueshirts then play at Philly again Saturday for an afternoon match before returning to Washington next Sunday for another matinee.

If Quinn is asymptomatic, it is unclear whether he would be permitted to travel to Philadelphia on Friday, where he would then check into a hotel before rejoining the team the next morning. If not, that game also would belong to Knoblauch.

Barring unforeseen complications that are always a possibility this season, Quinn would be assured of regaining command for next Sunday’s match against the Capitals. So, he would wind up missing a total of either five or six games.

➤ Jack Johnson, who cleared waivers Monday before being assigned to the taxi squad, will be sidelined for the remainder of the season after undergoing core-muscle repair surgery on Friday. Johnson, signed to a one-year free agent deal last summer, played 13 games for the Blueshirts in which he recorded one point (a goal at Pittsburgh on March 9), with a minusfive rating.

➤ Other than Keith Kinkaid replacing Alexandar Georgiev in nets, the Blueshirts went with the same lineup Saturday as in Friday’s 2-1 loss to the Capitals. That meant Julien Gauthier was designated as a healthy scratch for the third straight game, the fourth of the last five, and for the 10th time in 30 games overall.