BUFFALO — Igor Shesterkin joined his Rangers teammates on the ice for a portion of the morning skate in advance of the 2-1 victory Friday night over the Sabres. That marked the first time the goaltender had done so since being helped off the ice with a suspected groin injury early in the third period of the Dec. 3, 1-0 victory over the Sharks at the Garden. 

“Definitely [encouraged], but it’s part of the whole process right from Day One right to now,” head coach Gerard Gallant said of the 25-year-old netminder, who had been on the ice once or twice before, but not with the team. “It’s always good to see him out there, for sure.” 

The Rangers no doubt will take the cautious route with Shesterkin, who has been their MVP through the opening two months. The Blueshirts will play at MSG on Sunday against the Predators before confronting their third back-to-back within 13 days on Tuesday and Wednesday at Colorado and Arizona. They then have a home game Friday against Vegas. 

Adam Huska, who became the first Rangers goalie in 79 years to allow at least seven goals in his NHL debut since then-25 year-old Steve Buzinski was torched in a 7-2 opening night defeat to the Maple Leafs on Oct. 31, 1942, was returned to the AHL Wolf Pack on Thursday. 

In his stead, the Blueshirts recalled veteran Keith Kinkaid to back up Alexandar Georgiev. Kinkaid, who went 3-2-1 with an .898 save percentage and a 2.59 goals against average last year for the Rangers, was just cleared from COVID-19 protocol. 

It is unclear when Shesterkin will be cleared for duty, but Gallant said he would neither rush him nor hold him back once the Russian gains medical clearance — even though Georgiev has sparkled in the No. 1 goalie’s absence. 

“I’m never going to rush a player back, ever, that will never happen, but when the medical guys say he’s cleared to go, we’ll get him in there,” Gallant said. “Obviously with our organization, we’re not going to put a guy at risk but putting a guy in there too early.” 

Libor Hajek was designated as a healthy scratch for the 21st time in his 21 games on the NHL roster. The 23-year-old Czech played five games with Hartford during a conditioning assignment last month. 

“He practices every day, he works hard, it’s not easy to be doing what he’s doing but it’s part of the NHL and that’s what it is,” Gallant said. “We’ve got nothing against the kid, when he gets a chance we’re hoping he goes in there and plays real well but it’s hard to make big changes in the lineup when things are rolling like they’re rolling.” 

Gallant said that Gord Murphy, the assistant coach who handles the defense, makes certain to consistently talk and check in with Hajek. 

“It’s not easy, it’s not an easy job, like a goalie who plays once every 10 games,” Gallant said. “It’s tough. It’s a mental thing, but you’ve got to get over it. You’re in the NHL, when you get your opportunity you have to make sure you play well and maybe you’re going to stay there. 

“It’s all about opportunity and we’ve been fortunate enough that there’s been no major injury back there and everybody is playing well.” 

Adam Fox’s pair of assists elevated his total to 12 in the last nine games and his career total to 100. Doing so in his 151st NHL game, he matched Brian Leetch and Quinn Hughes as the sixth-fastest defenseman (in terms of games) to hit the century mark. Sergei Zubov hit 100 in 127 games while Mark Howe and Stefan Persson did it in 135 games, Al MacInnis in 144 and Larry Murphy in 150. 

Blueshirts have not lost two straight since the opening pair of the season, in which they were beaten in regulation by the Capitals before losing in overtime to the Stars. They have not yet dropped two in a row in regulation. 

Jarred Tinordi, who has played five games and had not dressed since Nov. 21, was sent to Hartford for a conditioning assignment of up to two weeks. … Buzinski, by the way, played only nine games in his NHL career, going 2-6-1 with a 5.89 GAA for the dreadful 11-31-8, 1942-43 Blueshirts.