RALEIGH, N.C. — If we’ve learned anything over the Rangers’ nine playoff games so far, it’s that practice doesn’t necessarily reflect what head coach Peter Laviolette does on the ice. That is not the case.
But the Blueshirts have lost their first two games in a row since mid-April, so lineup changes are expected, and it looked that way at Wednesday’s practice.
After using Quandre Miller and Braden Schneider and Jacob Trouba and Erik Gustafsson for the past 11 games dating back to the regular season (including all nine postseason contests), Laviolette has used the defensive pairing for most of the season. I let him skate the same way.
This reunited Miller with Trouba and Schneider with Gustafsson, an arrangement that served as the back end for much of the Rangers’ success this season.
“It may or may not be exactly the same situation for everyone today,” Laviolette predicted Wednesday after practice at the MSG Training Center in Tarrytown. “When you talk to Miller and Trouba, there’s a lot of experience there. They’ve played a lot of minutes together. We have a balance of experienced defensemen wherever we go on the back end. was very good and I still feel that I have a lot of confidence in the group of six people.
“They’ve definitely played together and have a lot of experience. I think we’ll have a great group of six on the ice for games, no matter which direction we go.”
The combination of Miller and Schneider has been strong, but the combination of Trouba and Gustafsson has been a little off in recent games.
Trouba, in particular, has scored eight of the Hurricanes’ past 11 goals on the ice.
Bringing back Miller and Trouba, who have logged more minutes than any other blueliner since the Rangers captain came to Broadway, may be just what the club needs to balance the pair.
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“We’ve had a lot of good matches together,” Trouba said of skating with Miller. “We played a lot of good hockey together. There’s obviously a comfort there with the two of us playing together for a long period of time. When Key is in the game, he’s a difference-maker. He’s a game changer. He has the ability to take over the game. As much as he wants to help me, I want to help him be the best he can be.”
Chris Kreider did not skate during Wednesday’s practice due to “maintenance,” according to the team.
“I hope today was normal playoff maintenance,” Laviolette said.
Filip Sitil has participated fully in practice and is expected to be available for Game 6, but Laviolette said the player’s position and mood will also be taken into consideration.
