Maybe if this were the postseason — actually, definitely if this were the postseason — Mats Zuccarello would be in the Rangers lineup for Saturday night’s game against the Panthers in Sunrise, Fla. But at this juncture, still before Christmas and after two false starts, the winger likely will play it safe with the right-groin injury that has kept him out of five straight games and 11 of the past 13.
Each one of those games he played, Nov. 15 against the Islanders and Nov. 23 against the Flyers, Zuccarello suffered a setback. Though Zuccarello is “the epitome of day-to-day,” according to coach David Quinn, he is not likely to play on Saturday.