NEW YORK _ There's really no reason, anymore, for Rangers players to play through the types of aches, pains and strains they might if a playoff spot were on the line. So, as his team started its second-to-last week of the season Monday night, returning home to the Garden against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Rangers coach David Quinn dressed a lineup against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday night that was missing a few core pieces.
Gritty checking forward Jesper Fast was out, and is finished for the year, Quinn said, with an upper body injury that has been bothering him for about six weeks, according to the coach. Forward Chris Kreider and defenseman Marc Staal also missed the game, each with lower body injuries. Kreider missed his second straight game, while Staal missed his first. Both players are day-to-day, Quinn said.
Without the trio _ alternate captains, all _ the Rangers took an early two-goal lead but then allowed five straight Penguins goals and lost, 5-2. Teddy Blueger scored two goals for Pittsburgh, one of them short-handed.
