The New York Rangers are gearing up for their Game 1 tilt against the Washington Capitals on Thursday night and the team is preparing to play with a couple men down, as Marc Staal and Ryane Clowe are expected to miss the game with injuries.
According to ESPN.com, Staal is likely to miss the game while still recovering from an eye injury sustained earlier in the season when a puck hit him in the face. Staal said there was a chance he could get some action in Game 1, but it is likely that he will sit. The 26-year-old defenseman has dealt with injuries over the past two seasons, including last year when he had a concussion and he also missed half the season with the eye injury sustained in March.
The team got a late start for the playoffs, which could be an advantage for Staal, but Ryane Clowe likely won't be so lucky, as he may miss Game 1 with an undisclosed injury that could be a concussion, while Brian Boyle may also miss the game. Clowe was one of the acquisitions the team made at the trading deadline and they will need his offensive firepower as they take on the Capitals.
Clowe scored two goals in his debut game with the Rangers after the team traded away Marian Gaborik and the team will need him and Rick Nash to be at the top of their game to take down the Caps. The Rangers are in the sixth seed after finishing the season 9-3-1 and they have that momentum heading into the first round.
"They're sick of practicing," Tortorella said. "We're not used to it, especially this year. You're playing every other day. Even the coaches ... we're just used to playing. This is the time of year you should be playing. Again, I'm not complaining, it's just a lot of time."
