Rangers vs. Penguins Game 3: Keith Yandle Misses Morning Skate, But Will Play Tonight
Keith Yandle missed today's morning skate in Pittsburgh, but Alain Vigneault confirmed that he will be in the lineup tonight for Game 3.
There was yet another scare this morning as Keith Yandle was absent from the New York Rangers morning skate in Pittsburgh prior to Game 3. Yandle left early in the first period of Game 2 after taking a heavy hit from Blake Comeau along the boards, and remained out for a majority of the period before returning. Obviously there was some concern that Yandle's absence today was a result of Saturday's hit, and that there was some lingering issues hanging around.
However, Alain Vigneault confirmed after the skate that Yandle was dealing with some type of illness, but will be ready to go tonight for Game 3. From the Rangers standpoint, losing Yandle for any amount of time would be a huge blow, especially with special teams playing a large part early on in this series. Aside from the Yandle scare, the Rangers are expected to keep the same lineup tonight, which means James Sheppard will be a healthy scratch for the third straight playoff game.
In addition, Kevin Klein joined his teammates on the ice for the first time since going down with his injury, but was ruled out for Game 3. It is unknown if he will be cleared to play in time for Game 4, but the fact that he was out there during a full team skate is an encouraging sign to say the least.
Thoughts?
