Mats Zuccarello’s return to the fray brought a new wrinkle to the Rangers’ line combinations as the team prepared for Thursday night’s match in Brooklyn against the Islanders.
No. 36 resumed his role as Mika Zibanejad’s right wing but notably was joined on the other flank by Filip Chytil, while Vlad Namestnikov worked on the right side with Chris Kreider and Kevin Hayes. The Jimmy Vesey-Brett Howden-Jesper Fast unit remained intact, as Lias Andersson, who’d played the last three games on the wing, centered Cody McLeod and Vinni Lettieri on the fourth line.
“It was a situation where it had been bothering me for a little before it got to the point that I needed to rest it,” Zuccarello said.