Alexis Lafreniere Was Rested Last Night
from Larry Brooks of the New York Post,
The Rangers found a productive third-line connection between Filip Chytil and Kaapo Kakko on Wednesday in a 4-0 victory over the depleted and dreadful Flyers, but Alexis Lafreniere was not with them, serving as a healthy scratch for the first time in his two-season NHL career — if not for the first time in his hockey life.
After the triumph, which created a seven-point cushion for second-place and home-ice advantage in the first round while also moving the Rangers to within two points of the first-place Hurricanes (who hold a game in hand), head coach Gerard Gallant attempted to immediately defuse the situation.
“Alexis is not out from bad play, it has nothing to do with that,” Gallant said of the 20-year-old winger, who had gone eight straight games without a point while his effectiveness has declined. “He’s a young guy and he looks a little bit tired lately.
“He hasn’t played an 82-game schedule before, so it’s nothing to jump the ship about. He’ll be back in the next game.”
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