Chris Kreider missed his third straight game with an upper-body injury Friday, when the Rangers lost to the Maple Leafs 3-2 in their fourth game back from the 4 Nations Face-Off break.
The longest-tenured Ranger participated in the optional morning skate and in practice Thursday but evidently still was not ready to return to game action.
As a result, Brennan Othmann remained in the lineup for a second straight game on the fourth line next to Jonny Brodzinski and Matt Rempe.
K’Andre Miller, who suffered a lower-body injury in the Islanders game Tuesday, was able to suit right back up and play Friday. He lined up in his usual post on the left of Will Borgen.
Additionally, J.T. Miller also was able to play after missing Thursday’s practice due to illness.
The newest Ranger centered the second line between Will Cuylle and Mika Zibanejad.
With Adam Fox on injured reserve, Zac Jones drew into the lineup for the first time since before the 4 Nations on Feb. 7 against Pittsburgh.
Lining up next to Braden Schneider on the third defensive pairing, Jones appeared in his 29th game of the season.
He had served as a healthy scratch in the past four straight games, as well as 24 of the past 27 contests.
After posting a goal and an assist in the loss, Mika Zibanejad extended his point streak to five games.
The Swedish center has collected three goals and four assists over that span.
“I think Mika is playing well,” coach Peter Laviolette said. “I thought he was really good tonight. I think he played [24:44] minutes. I thought he was moving. He was generating. I do think that J.T. has something to do with that. Will has been a good addition on that line.”
An assist on Zibanejad’s goal extended Miller’s point streak to four games, over which he has totaled three goals and three assists.
He now has 10 points (five goals, five assists) in his first nine games back with the Blueshirts.
Laviolette didn’t have much of an update on Adam Edstrom, who has been on injured reserve with a lower-body injury since Feb. 4.
The 24-year-old Swede, who was projected to miss 2 ½ to 3 ½ months, has yet to resume skating. He is not expected to start skating again for some time, per a source.
Toronto head coach Craig Berube opted to insert Ryan Reaves into the Maple Leafs lineup, after the former Ranger was scratched in the previous five games.
Asked about the decision to put the veteran enforcer in, Berube pointed to Blueshirts bruiser Matt Rempe.
“I think Rempe over there, obviously,” he told reporters. “He’s an effective player, in my opinion. He’s physical, he’s a hard guy to handle, so I just wanted to get Reavo in there.”
