Kaapo Kakko has resumed skating less than a month after suffering a left leg injury in an awkward fall on Nov. 27 against the Sabres.
Head coach Peter Laviolette said the Finnish wing, who missed his 11th straight game Friday night while on long-term injured reserve, has been on the ice “about three or four times.”
It was never believed to be a season-ending injury, but this is positive news after the apparent severity of it at the moment.
Kakko had his legs swept out from underneath him in a collision with Buffalo defenseman Erik Johnson along the boards, which caused the 22-year-old to fall to the ice with his left leg bent.
He couldn’t put any weight on it as he was helped off the ice in significant pain.
In 20 games, Kakko scored two goals and recorded one assist.
As for Filip Chytil, who is also on LTIR and has been sidelined for 21 games with a presumed concussion, Laviolette said he continues to skate on his own.
The Czech center hasn’t played since the 10th game of the season, on Nov. 2 against Carolina.
Over that span, Chytil posted six assists.
“They’re skating on their own,” the Rangers’ bench boss said of both skaters before the team lost, 4-3, to the Oilers at the Garden. “Kaapo is skating. They’re improving. I understand it’s been a slow process, especially with Fil, but getting better.”
Jonathan Quick earned the starting nod against the Oilers on Friday night, marking his 11th start of the season.
Entering the matchup, the 37-year-old netminder owned a career record of 25-11-6, a 2.13 goals-against average and a .922 save percentage in 42 games against Edmonton.
He made 24 saves in the loss.
This sets up Igor Shesterkin to face the Sabres on the Rangers’ second night of the back-to-back schedule on Saturday.
Shesterkin has gone 8-1-2 in 11 games against Buffalo, while posting an impressive 1.88 goals against average and a .936 save percentage.
With one game left until the holiday break, the Rangers will look to get back to their dominating ways at Madison Square Garden.
The 10-3-0 record the Blueshirts carried into Friday night’s contest ranked second in the NHL in home points percentage (.769). Their 32.6 power-play percentage at home is also ranked second in the league.
After the loss, they dropped to 10-4-0 at home.
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