Mika Zibanejad set to play after injury scare, as Rangers aim to lock up playoff seeding

TARRYTOWN - Peter Laviolette entered the press conference room at the MSG Training Center following Thursday's morning skate wearing a smile.

"I've decompressed," he announced as his grin widened.

It was a much different demeanor than the Rangers' head coach carried following Tuesday's 4-2 loss to the Islanders, when he was visibly upset while characterizing hits from Noah Dobson and Adam Pelech as "vicious" and accusing the Isles' defensemen of intentionally playing dirty.

"You know when you play on the Island, it’s going to be a physical game," he explained. "My frustration is that our guys were playing hard in that game and I would have liked to see us on the power play a few times in the third period."

After briefly addressing the situation, a more upbeat Laviolette said he was ready to move on.

It surely helped to see all the players who came out of that game banged up, specifically forwards Chris Kreider, Vincent Trocheck and Mika Zibanejad, on the ice and ready to go for Thursday's 7 p.m. game against the visiting Philadelphia Flyers.

The biggest scare involved Zibanejad, who collided with Pelech on his way to the bench with 11:09 remaining in the final period. The Rangers' No. 1 center had his head snapped back upon making contact, then laid on the ice after briefly attempting to get himself back up.

"I didn’t see him," Zibanejad said. "It was more shock than anything, maybe, that all of a sudden he was there."

After going through what he described as "the necessary steps" to get checked out in the locker room, the 30-year-old return to the bench with roughly one minute remaining. He did not take another shift, but indicated he likely would have played had the game went to overtime.

"At least that’s the feeling I got," he said. "That’s why I came back to the bench."

Zibanejad noted that he's "been through this a couple times now" − an apparent reference to previous runs through concussion protocol − which is why "I’m going to be the first one to make sure that everything is okay."

"Right now, I feel good," he added. "I’m lucky with the situation that happened that it wasn’t anything worse."

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As for the hit itself, there didn't appear to be anything overtly malicious.

Both players had their heads turned toward the play when the collision happened near center ice, with Pelech slowing down as Zibanejad skated directly into him.

"It's a bizarre situation," said Zibanejad, who's sitting on 69 points (26 goals and 43 assists) with three games play. "I look (and) I don't see him. I don't know if he’s stopping or whatever he's doing, but I don't see that. I kind of take a look left and right before, and then the play is in the other end and I'm in the neutral zone. It's one thing I have if I have the puck and I'm looking down. I'm just looking at the play, and all of a sudden, he's there. It's a situation you don't want to happen."

"I really hope it wasn't intentional," he added. "I'm not going to sit here and make accusations or whatever. I'm trying to focus on how I'm doing, how I'm feeling, and that's the only important thing right now."

While Zibanejad took the high road, he also expressed appreciation for Laviolette's fierce comments, saying, "He's showing that he’s standing up for his players, defending his players, and that’s always nice to have."

The truth about how both teams feel with a couple days to digest what happened will be revealed Saturday, when the Isles come to Madison Square Garden for a 12:30 p.m. puck drop. But before the Rangers shift their attention back to the rivalry, they have a desperate Flyers team to deal with.

The Blueshirts can't clinch the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference or the Metro Division title with a win Thursday, but they can put themselves right on the precipice.

Two wins in their final three games would clinch both, while one win and a Carolina regulation loss would seal the division and one win plus a Carolina regulation loss and Boston loss of any kind would lock up the No. 1 seed. The Hurricanes will play next in St. Louis on Friday night, while the Bruins aren't scheduled to play again until Saturday night in Pittsburgh.

Until those scenarios play out, don't expect to see the Rangers ease up on their approach.

The last thing they need is a key injury at this late juncture, but Laviolette has made it clear he doesn't intend to rest any players while there's still something to play for. That means Kreider, Trocheck, Zibanejad and all the other regulars will suit up Thursday.

"Not at this point," the coach said. "Right now, we’re dialed in and trying to collect the two points."

NY Rangers (53-22-4) projected lineup: Game 80 vs. Philadelphia Flyers (36-32-11)

When: Thursday, Apr. 11 at 7 p.m.

Where: Madison Square Garden

TV/Radio: MSG Network/1050 AM

Forwards

Top line ⊳ Chris Kreider (LW) ⋄ Mika Zibanejad (C) ⋄ Jack Roslovic (RW)

Second line ⊳ Artemi Panarin (LW) ⋄ Vincent Trocheck (C) ⋄ Alexis Lafrenière (RW)

Third line ⊳ Will Cuylle (LW) ⋄ Alex Wennberg (C) ⋄ Kaapo Kakko (RW)

Fourth line ⊳ Barclay Goodrow (LW) ⋄ Jonny Brodzinski (C) ⋄ Jimmy Vesey (RW)

Defensemen

Top pair ⊳ Ryan Lindgren (L) ⋄ Adam Fox (R)

Second pair ⊳ K'Andre Miller (L) ⋄ Jacob Trouba (R)

Third pair ⊳ Erik Gustafsson (L) ⋄ Braden Schneider (R)

Goalies

Starter ⊳ Jonathan Quick

Backup ⊳ Igor Shesterkin

Healthy scratches: D Zac Jones, F Matt Rempe and D Chad Ruhwedel

Long-term injured reserve: F Filip Chytil (upper body) and F Blake Wheeler (lower body)

Vincent Z. Mercogliano is the New York Rangers beat reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Read more of his work at lohud.com/sports/rangers/ and follow him on Twitter @vzmercogliano.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Rangers lineup: Mika Zibanejad set to play after injury scare