PITTSBURGH – The Rangers unexpectedly recalled right wing Marek Hrivik from the AHL at 4 p.m., just four hours prior to puck drop on Game 1.
The reason why was unclear. Viktor Stalberg has been nursing a lower-body injury, but he has practiced in recent days and skated Wednesday morning, too. Hrivik’s best play this season was on the right wing of Tanner Glass and Dominic Moore, where Stalberg has played lately.
Hrivik’s recall was especially strange because the Czech forward already had played in Wednesday afternoon’s 3-2 Hartford Wolf Pack road win over the Toronto Marlies – not to mention that Alain Vigneault already had an extra forward, Oscar Lindberg, in Pittsburgh with the NHL team.