Ryan Lindgren is making his return from injury for the Rangers in their matchup against the Canadiens after missing the first five games of the season due to an upper-body injury. The 26-year-old defenseman was hurt during a preseason fight with Scott Mayfield of the Islanders and will wear a bubble mask for his return.
Rangers coach Peter Laviolette praised Lindgren, stating, “He’s a heart and soul guy who plays hard every shift. You feel his absence in the lineup, so it’ll be great to have him back.”
The Rangers have started the season strong at 4-0-1 without Lindgren, allowing an average of two goals per game, though they did give up six in a wild 6-5 overtime loss to the Utah Hockey Club. In a surprise move, Lindgren will play on the third pairing with rookie Victor Mancini against the Canadiens, while his regular partner, Adam Fox, will stay with K’Andre Miller on the top pairing. This decision allows the impressive 22-year-old Mancini to remain in the lineup, while Zac Jones and Chad Ruhwedel will be healthy scratches. This marks Jones’s second consecutive healthy scratch, while Ruhwedel, who began the season as the extra defenseman, made his debut in a 4-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday.
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