PITTSBURGH — Already without top line forward Chris Kreider, who is sidelined after rib surgery to treat a blood slot, the Rangers rolled into town after losing 7-2 to the Islanders to face the confident Penguins with two more injured players: center Kevin Hayes and defenseman Ryan McDonagh.
Hayes, who played through a lower-body injury and scored a goal against the Islanders on Saturday, will not play on Sunday after a setback with the same injury. “It’s not as bad as when it was first diagnosed, but we decided to keep him back at the hotel,” said coach Alain Vigneault.