It was a directive from coach Alain Vigneault and his staff back in early March that has made Brady Skjei such an invaluable part of the Rangers’ postseason picture.
When Skjei was sent down to the minors March 9 a day after playing the fourth game of his NHL career, Vigneault told the coaches at AHL Hartford he wanted the 22-year-old left-handed defenseman to play the right side, where he might be needed down the road. Apparently Skjei adapted well enough that he was in that position at one of the most critical times of the Blueshirts’ season, holding a 4-2 lead in the third period of their eventual victory over the Penguins in Game 2 of their first-round series on Saturday afternoon in Pittsburgh.