WASHINGTON — Barclay Goodrow did not compete in the Rangers’ 4-0 loss to the Capitals on Saturday night after missing the past couple practices.
The 30-year-old forward, who was struck in the face by an errant puck in the Senators game Tuesday, skated on his own back in New York.
As a result, Riley Nash drew into the Rangers lineup in Goodrow’s place on the fourth line alongside Tyler Pitlick and Jimmy Vesey.
Saturday night marked Nash’s Rangers debut.
The 34-year-old, who signed a two-year, $1.55 million contract with the Blueshirts in July, started the season in Hartford.
A former first-round pick (21st overall) by the Oilers in 2007, Nash had nine goals and 10 assists in 20 AHL games this season.
Igor Shesterkin got the starting nod against the Capitals, marking his 16th start of the season.
With the Rangers playing back-to-back games, first in Washington on Saturday then at home against the Kings on Sunday, Jonathan Quick is set to play his former team of 16 years.
“It’s going to be a game,” Quick told The Post after practice on Friday. “They’re a great team this year, they’re playing really well. You just approach it trying to help the team win, get two points and move on.”
Entering Saturday night’s slate of games, Quick’s 2.34 goals-against average was ranked fourth in the NHL — behind just the Kings’ Cam Talbot, the Golden Knights’ Adin Hill and the Bruins’ Jeremy Swayman.
Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren and his brother, Capitals goalie Charlie Lindgren, squared off against one another in a NHL game for the first time.
“It was cool,” Ryan Lindgren said after the game. “Someone I grew up admiring. Pretty special moment to get to play against him in the NHL. It meant a lot. I know it meant a lot to my parents and my family. It’s something we won’t forget.”
Laviolette coached against the Capitals for the first time since serving behind the Washington bench in the previous three seasons.
“I think it’s always exciting to come back to places you’ve been,” he said before the game. “See a lot of faces. Everybody’s face. That’s always fun. The guys that work the locker rooms and the on the entryway in and just see people that you got to know for two, three, four, five, six years — whatever you’re there for — that you spent time with. Those are the people that are part of your everyday life.”
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