The Rangers and Stars each came into Thursday night’s matchup missing a key forward– Chris Kreider and Roope Hinitz respectively.
Perhaps the absence of these forwards contributed to an uneventful first period, as neither team managed to get much going offensively. The best chance of the period came late, when Alexis Lafrenière, moved to the top line in Kreider’s absence, nearly set up Mika Zibanejad for a goal just outside the crease. Later, the Rangers’ forward depth was tested even further, as Sammy Blais and Julien Gauthier collided in the offensive zone, and both came up bleeding. Blais returned for the second with stitches in his mouth, while Gauthier, for the second game in a row, did not return.