The Rangers are looking to get their defenseman back as he returns from the holidays.
Blueshirt defenseman Quandre Miller was placed on injured reserve on Friday prior to Saturday's game against the Lightning, according to the NHL Media website.
Miller participated in practice for the first time Friday morning after landing on IR on Dec. 13 with an upper-body injury.
Head coach Peter Laviolette said the practice was a “good step in the right direction” for Miller.
“He looked good. It was his first practice,” Laviolette said. “This schedule didn't allow for a lot of practice time, and that's just the way it is this year. … It was good practice for him and a good step in the right direction.”
Miller missed six consecutive games due to injury, and the Rangers went 1-5 in that span.
He was injured on Dec. 11 when he took a hit from Sabers forward Jordan Greenway in a 3-2 win.
Chad Ruhwedel appeared in four games in place of the injured Miller and scored in Sunday's loss to the Hurricanes at Madison Square Garden.
Miller has struggled on the blueline this season, scoring just six points in 28 games with a -5 rating and scoring more 5-on-5 goals on the ice than any other Blueshirt defenseman. are.
The holiday break has taken on even more meaning for the Rangers considering where this year's team is through 34 games.
Laviolette explained after practice how a break could produce a variety of results, but believed it would help the Rangers clear their heads.
“You often ask me about breaks and I say, 'Let's see,'” he said. “When you don't win games like we did, you hope that that break will lead you in a different direction, and it often does. … This is a chance to clear the deck. Mentally. I think it's time for me to step away from it a little bit and come back. Good practice and head to Tampa. Now I have to follow up on what I do on the ice versus Tampa Bay. ”
The Rangers enter the break with the NHL's third-best penalty kill despite allowing three goals on the power play against the Devils on Monday at Prudential Center.
Their 85.3 percent efficiency on penalties is second only to the Predators and Hurricanes.
“That’s been one of the most consistent things for us all year,” Laviolette said.
