Early in the second period on Saturday night, Patrik Berglund hit Filip Chytil on a play that David Quinn said he had a "big problem" with. (NY Post)
No call was made on the play and Chytil missed 11 minutes of the game while sitting on the bench with Jim Ramsay and then going through concussion protocol. (NY Post)
Quinn noted that Chytil didn't have the puck and that, in Quinn's view, it was a hit to the head. (NY Post)
Chytil played 6:15 in the first, 3:39 in the second and then 7:24 in the third.
Kevin Hayes played 7:07 in the first period but only 2:43 in the second and 2:58 in the third.
Hayes' last shift ended with 6:49 in the third period.
He started the game between Mats Zuccarello and Jimmy Hayes but was replaced by Chytil late in the third.
Larry Brooks writes that the Rangers want Hayes to "move his feet and skate" more and David Quinn said that his deployment decisions late in the third were about finding "different combinations and chemistry." (NY Post)
Quinn added that he went with the "guys I thought would give us our best chance." (NY Post)
Adam Rotter: It sure looked like a hit to the head on Chytil and something that, at least, should have been penalized. The Rangers have not gotten much luck in drawing penalties in the first two games but that is something that will almost certainly even out over the course of the season. The issue is that while it will even out, the situations where things are called are not equal and that a missed call in one-game could have a bigger impact than three calls in another. That is hockey though and how it goes for every team.
David Quinn, through two games, has been as advertised. He said point blank after Thursday's game that the Rangers weren't good enough and last night he was holding an important guy like Hayes accountable. With all of his talent and skill, it's hard to see how the Rangers best six players, in an empty net situation, doesn't involve him to some degree, but he wasn't called on last night. Hopefully he got the message and will be better in Carolina when the puck drops at 5PM. I'd also think that we see Namestnikov back in tonight and maybe a switch or two on D with Tony DeAngelo or Freddy Claesson coming in.