Artemi Panarin, who left Wednesday’s game with a lower-body injury, was not in the lineup Friday when the Rangers hosted the Vegas Golden Knights at Madison Square Garden.
Panarin, the team’s leading scorer entering Friday with 33 points (nine goals, 24 assists) left Wednesday's victory over the the Coyotes after one shift in the second period. After that game, coach Gerard Gallant said the injury was minor, and Panarin’s status was "day-to-day.’’
Friday’s game was the Rangers’ 10th in the last 17 days, and with the team not playing again until Wednesday, when they host the Montreal Canadiens, not dressing Panarin gave him an extra day to get rested up for that game.