Rangers reinsert Zac Jones into lineup after he was scratched in past three games

Head coach Peter Laviolette reinserted Zac Jones into nan Rangers’ lineup, aft nan 24-year-old defenseman served arsenic a patient scratch successful nan erstwhile 3 games.

As a result, rookie Victor Mancini came retired of nan lineup and was a patient scratch for nan first clip this play for nan Rangers’ 2-1 triumph complete nan Ducks at nan Garden.

“I’d emotion to person Zac successful there,” Laviolette said aft believe astatine MSG Training Center connected Friday. “You tin only dress six defensemen. Somebody doesn’t person to beryllium playing poorly successful bid to travel retired of nan lineup. Sometimes they do. But sometimes you’re conscionable caught pinch numbers, your squad is winning aliases personification has elevated their play. Different things hap connected a regular basis.

Zac Jones (left) looks to sound nan puck distant from Cutter Gauthier arsenic goalie Jonathan Quick defends during nan Rangers’ 2-1 triumph complete nan Ducks connected Oct. 26, 2024. Brad Penner-Imagn Images

“There are conversations. I’ve talked to him astir it. I’m judge he doesn’t for illustration it. Players shouldn’t for illustration it. They want to play and I don’t blasted them for that. That’s a bully thing, a affirmative thing. He’ll get backmost successful location and erstwhile he does, we’ve sewage a batch of assurance successful him.”

Ryan Lindgren coming disconnected injured reserve forced nan Rangers to realign their defense pairs, but Jones, who played 14:38 successful nan triumph complete Anaheim, came retired of nan lineup earlier Lindgren’s return.

Chad Ruhwedel, who was waived and assigned to AHL Hartford earlier this week, bumped Jones from nan lineup against nan Maple Leafs.

Lindgren past skated pinch Mancini successful his return, but nan duo sewage caved successful by nan Panthers.

During believe connected Friday, Lindgren skated pinch skipper Jacob Trouba, while Jones lined up connected nan near of Braden Schneider.

This allowed Schneider to return to his beardown broadside connected nan right, arsenic opposed to playing connected nan near of Trouba for illustration he had nan first 7 games.

“I deliberation he’s played well,” Laviolette said of Jones. “There was immoderate ups and downs. We talked astir it. We showed him. It happens pinch each players, too. He does a batch of bully things retired there. There’d beryllium nary problem if he was successful nan lineup, but there’s decisions that person to beryllium made. We’re constantly, pinch young players, coaching them and school them.”

Jonathan Quick sewage nan starting motion connected Saturday against nan Ducks, marking his 2nd commencement of nan season. Quick allowed 1 extremity while making 32 saves.

Ryan Lindgren — who scored astatine 4:13 of nan 3rd play successful nan triumph complete nan Ducks — continues to play successful a afloat look shield aft undergoing jaw room successful nan preseason.

“There’s a batch of crippled clip that’s missing erstwhile you travel retired for an extended play of clip for illustration he did,” Laviolette said aft believe connected Friday. “He’s dealing pinch nan full bubble connected nan look and dealing pinch nan imagination of that and moving done that. It’s a large adjustment. I deliberation it’ll support coming complete a matter of time.

“He’s an important portion of nan squad and conscionable to get him reps and minutes and support getting him opportunities, that’s nan only measurement really to get up to velocity erstwhile you’ve missed clip is to get successful location and play nan game.”

Brennan Othmann is projected to miss 4-6 weeks of play successful Hartford pinch a lower-body injury.