Filip Chytil was under the weather recently, which might have played a major role in his brief demotion to the fourth line Tuesday night against the Hurricanes, but the Czech center still responded in a big way.
Since receiving a single shift in the third period of that 5-3 victory over Carolina, during which he scored a late power-play goal into an empty net to seal the win, Chytil has three goals (two empty-netters).
“When you’re sick, you cannot do too much about it,” Chytil said after scoring twice in the 4-1 win over the Canadiens on Thursday night. “That’s something you cannot [change]. It happened last game. Of course, that doesn’t mean I was happy about it. I wasn’t happy overall with my game, how I played because I couldn’t play 100 percent to what I can do.
Filip Chytil Getty Images“Today, happy for the two points. Of course, two goals are nice. I’m also happy for that, but the two points for the team, that’s the most important thing and it’s what’s driving us forward and we have to keep going in New Jersey.”
The 23-year-old Chytil is one point away from matching his production in the last two seasons, and two points shy of his career high of 23 points, which he set in 2018-19 and 2019-20. By a considerable margin, this season has been Chytil’s best. After a tremendous showing of seven goals and two assists in 20 playoff games last season, Chytil’s confidence has carried over and it’s played out on the ice on a game-to-game basis.
“Fil played really well,” head coach Gerard Gallant said after practice Friday afternoon in Montreal. “I mean, that [Hurricanes] game he wasn’t feeling good. So it wasn’t like he played a bad game, he was out there and he was battling a bit of a flu and he played great. He worked hard after that game and he battled back and played really well last night.
“Two big goals for us. Fil has been a good player all year for us. He’s played real good hockey for us.”
The Rangers reassigned Gustav Rydahl to the Hartford Wolf Pack on Friday after a brief recall due to Jonny Brodzinski’s absence for the birth of his second daughter.
After playing at the Devils on Saturday afternoon, the Rangers will have a day off on Sunday. After practice at MSG Training Center on Monday, they’ll begin a three-game home stand against the Wild, Stars and Canadiens on Tuesday.
