The two players were scrambling for a loose puck after a pass in the offensive zone got deflected into an open area. Chytil was in position to beat any Shark to the puck, but Miller committed to pinching up the boards, resulting in a violent collision between the two players.
Chytil remained down on the ice for an extended period of time before he got up and returned to the bench. As soon as he did he immediately went down the tunnel with the trainers to the locker room and apparently, he wasn't very happy about it.
Unfortunately, the Rangers would later confirm that he would not return to the game. Hopefully, it is nothing too serious as the 25-year-old has already missed so much playing time throughout his career.
What really stinks about this injury is that it is self-inflicted as well. This speaks to a broader problem the Rangers have had this season. They do not look like a cohesive unit consistently. They got away with it tonight because they were playing the San Jose Sharks. But if they give up another 3-on-1 to a better team they're going to find the puck in the back of their net more often than not.
After the game, Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette gave us an update on Chytil's condition, but he was not as specific as we might expect. He said that he is day-to-day with an upper-body injury and is currently being evaluated.
With a little bit of luck, Chytil will be fine and ready for the Rangers' next game, which comes on Sunday when the team travels to Seattle to play the Kraken. It is the first of a four-game road trip in which the team visits Vancouver, Calgary, and Edmonton so hopefully Chytil will at least travel with the team. That remains to be seen but we could get an update on his status later today.
POLL | ||
Where do you think the New York Rangers will end up in the standings by the end of the season? | ||