8:13PM: Goodrow is IN, Strome is OUT and Rooney is back in. (ESPN)
7:35 PM: Strome, Goodrow and Kevin Rooney are all out for warmups. (ESPN)
5PM: Gerard Gallant spoke after the morning skate and said (NYR):
- What do you want to see tonight, “I want to see a complete game, obviously, play our game, work hard, compete, battle do all the little things right and make sure we are ready to go when the puck drops. Good, solid first period starts it off and play our game from there.”
- On Strome skating this morning, “he skated, I guess. It was an optional skate and he went out there. I haven’t heard nothing from the trainers yet.”
- Is it a good sign that he skated, “Goodrow didn’t skate, Panarin didn’t, some guys didn’t skate. I hope, I think he’s ready to go tonight, but the trainers will tell me after they get off the ice and assess them.”
- What does Goodrow not skating mean, “doesn’t mean nothing, they’ve done that most of the playoffs.”
- Is he a game-time decision or do you expect him to play, “I expect him to play.”
- On Sammy Blais changing from a non-contact to regular jersey, “First I heard of it. (laugh) And it’s true, that is the first I heard of it. I had no idea he switched jerseys today.”
- Is he still a long-shot for the series, “yep, I love to see him out there though.”
- Do you think discipline is important with how the PPs have been going, “Yea, I and don’t think it’s discipline like taking dumb penalties. Sometimes you reach with your stick and get a call, a little holding call. I don’t think either team wants to put either team on the PP, for sure, because both have looked pretty good so far in the series.”
- What do you make of the Zibanejad/Kreider relationship and Kreider stepping up to take responsibility for things, “I think somebody asked me that question after and I didn’t know Chris said that it was his fault. I don’t think it was his fault, they made a hell of a play, two real good passes and made a good play and scored a goal. Chris is a leader on our team, a character guy, he wants to win, battle hard and he’s played really well in the playoffs for us. I think he wants to step up and say that it was ‘my fault’ whether it was or not, I don’t think it was, personally.”
- Do you see a special relationship between those two, “definitely, definitely. They have a strong relationship, like each other a lot, play with each other a lot, obviously. I think there is a great bond there.”
- Does anything at all change now that you know Colorado is coming out of the West, “Doesn’t change one thing right now, not one thing. It really doesn’t. We are so focused don TB and playing our best series against them. Like Darryl Sutter said, everybody expected Colorado to get through to where they are at today.”
- Is your expectation still that Strome will play, “Yea. Again, I’m not sure he is going to play tonight, but I expect him to play. I haven’t heard nothing that is saying he isn’t playing.”
- What impresses you most about Fox on the PP, “his skill, his hockey IQ, he does everything real well, finds the open guys all the time. He makes the right decision most of the time. Talented, very good hockey player and that is why he won the Norris last year.”
- On Tyler Motte’s role, “he’s been great since the day we got him. He works hard and if you have to move him up sometimes you move him up and he plays well there. He does a great job with those guys and his speed is real good, good on the PK and he gets in the shot lane a lot. He does everything we want from him, been really good and a positive influence for our players.”
- Is Panarin compromised without Strome, “I don’t think so. He’s played well, working hard, I think he had two assists on both PP goals the other night. I want him to do what he’s done all season long and that is what I’m seeing from him. He’s played hard, well and creates good opportunities for us and every night he is creating scoring chances for that group.”
11:57 AM: Arthur Staple said that Goodrow was “limping a bit” while leaving the arena.
11:40 AM: Strome left the morning skate after a few minutes. (Lavoie)
11:29 AM: Ryan Strome is on the ice at the Rangers morning skate today. Barclay Goodrow is not on the ice. (Staple)
Sammy Blais was on the ice in a regular jersey after only skating in a non-contact jersey prior to today. (Lavoie)