There was progress made in Henrik Lundqvist’s case of neck spasms, as the Rangers’ bedrock goaltender skated lightly and worked with his position coach, Benoit Allaire, before the team’s 6-4 loss to the Islanders on Sunday afternoon at the Garden.
Even though Lundqvist apparently is getting better, he still was unable to dress. For the second straight game, Antti Raanta started and rookie Magnus Hellberg backed up.
“[Lundqvist is] feeling better, still not 100 percent, but on the right track,” coach Alain Vigneault said. “There still some pain in the neck, so he’s day-to-day.”
Lundqvist was hurt on a collision with Ryan McDonagh on Thursday in Pittsburgh.
Asked if, at this point, keeping Lundqvist out the lineup was strictly precautionary, Vigneault made it clear that Lundqvist still was physically unable to play — which might change soon.
“He’s got some spasms up there, and his movements aren’t fully fluid,” said Vigneault, whose team plays in Buffalo on Tuesday then in Detroit on Saturday afternoon. “So [he is] going to take a day or two more, I’m guessing.”
Defenseman Dylan McIlrath left the game with 6:33 left in the first period after he was run into the boards by Cal Clutterbuck. McIlrath was writhing in pain on the ice, holding his right knee and went straight to the locker room.
When he came out to test it at the start of the second, it obviously was not strong enough, and he did not return to the game.
One team source said it is not expected to be serious, and it is not the knee that previously has been operated on.
Defenseman Marc Staal was unable to play as his back spasms flared up, an injury that first popped up in a practice and kept Staal from playing against the Devils on Feb. 23. Vigneault said this time it was the result of Staal’s dehydration from his recent bout with the flu, which kept him from the game in Pittsburgh on Thursday.
“He came in [Sunday] morning and could barely move,” Vigneault said.
J.T. Miller was demoted to the fourth line and got just one shift in the third period as the Rangers tried to come back from a 4-3 deficit.
“Just didn’t feel that his game was good enough,” Vigneault said. “That’s all.”
Kevin Hayes was bumped up to Miller’s spot next to Derick Brassard and Mats Zuccarello.
Forward Rick Nash skated again Sunday morning as his recovery from a severe bone bruise in his left leg continues.
“Everything is [on] schedule,” said Vigneault, who has been without Nash since he was hurt in Carolina on Jan. 22. “I’m assuming at some point this week, he’ll join the team and practice with us.”
