‘Day-to-day’ Kravtsov not with team
BOSTON — Vitali Kravtsov, who exited the Rangers’ loss Friday night to the Devils in the first period, is considered day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Head coach Gerard Gallant made that announcement Saturday morning ahead of the Rangers’ 4-3 overtime win over the Bruins at TD Garden.
The 21-year-old winger did not accompany the Rangers to Boston and will remain in New York while the team practices for two days in Rhode Island. Gallant said the level of concern, which was relatively low Friday night, hasn’t fluctuated since Kravtsov was evaluated.
“He’s not making the trip with us,” Gallant said. “I don’t think it’s anything major, but day-to-day and we’ll see when we get back from our bonding trip.”
With Kravtsov sidelined for the time being, Julien Gauthier, Greg McKegg and Dryden Hunt will likely receive more ice time. All three competed in the back-toback preseason games Friday and Saturday.
Nils Lundkvist has logged over 20 minutes in each of his first three preseason games, combining for three assists and six shots.
Saturday, the rookie defenseman led the Rangers with two assists — including one on a power play, in which his shot from the top of the zone was tipped in by Sammy Blais to cut the Bruins lead to 3-2 in the second period.
“He’s adjusting,” Gallant said of
Lundqvist on Saturday morning. “He’s getting better, he’s a skilled, talented kid. Judging from [Friday night], the whole team played in way too much in our own zone. We turned pucks over. But he was OK and he wasn’t too bad. He played fine in a game like that. He’s going to keep getting better and get opportunity out there and hopefully [he] grabs them. Hopefully he’s ready, but if you’re not ready, then that’s fine too.
“He’s a young player, he’s got to get better, and he’s got to be around pros. He’s around a lot of new teammates. There’s a lot going on for a young kid like that. Obviously, a lot of pressure. He wants to make the National Hockey league and it’s not easy to do that.”
Asked if Lundkvist was the frontrunner for the right spot of the third defensive pair, Gallant said it wasn’t fair to say so.
“There’s a bunch of guys right there,” the coach said, presumably referring to Zac Jones and Jarred Tinordi. “A bunch of guys are right there for that spot.”
Alexandar Georgiev allowed three goals on 25 shots Saturday in his second start of the preseason. The Bulgarian goaltender played two of the three periods, a change from the half-game assignments Gallant had given through the previous three preseason contests.
“[We wanted] an extended look,” Gallant said. “It’s getting later in the preseason, so we wanted to give him two full periods.”
The Rangers participated in their first shootout simulation of preseason at the conclusion of 3-on-3 overtime.