After taking a puck, and possibly a stick as well, to the face in Game 1 last night, New York Rangers’ defenseman, Dan Girardi, is expected to play Game 2.
New York Rangers
As the featured image of this article suggests, New York Rangers‘ defenseman, Dan Girardi, will be ready and right here on the ice for Game 2 tomorrow night. Well, not exactly since the picture was taken back in February in Toronto and the Rangers will be at Madison Square Garden, wearing their home blue jerseys, taking on the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 2 of the 1st round of the playoffs tomorrow night, but you get my drift. Diehard fans wish the Rangers would go back to wearing their white jerseys at home anyway, but I digress.
The good news is Girardi will be back and playing in Game 2, confirmed by Rangers’ writer for the Daily News, Pat Leonard, per his tweet below from earlier today.
Girardi ready to go for Game 2; Hagelin's conditioning & speed ties to #NYR's D; Vigneault asks refs to watch traffic http://t.co/RlUru3NM65
— Pat Leonard (@PLeonardNYDN) April 17, 2015
According to Leonard, Girardi skated in practice this afternoon and will be ready for Game 2, despite taking a puck to side of the face, and maybe even a stick as well, right around the jaw area at the halfway point of the 3rd period in Game 1 last night. Remember the angle I provided in my Girardi article early this morning? (Credit to @myregularface)
As you can see, not only does the puck hit Girardi’s face but it also looks as if Penguins’ forward, Chris Kunitz‘s, stick also clips Girardi’s face on the follow through.
But while painful looking, and I’m sure Girardi was in much pain at the time, it looks as if he just needed a check up with the dentist and will not miss any time.
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My guess is that Girardi lost some teeth and maybe had to get a crooked or chipped tooth pulled, courtesy of the puck or Kunitz’s stick, or a combination of the two, hitting his face in the 3rd period last night.
This news is of huge relief since Rangers’ defenseman, Kevin Klein, while skating on his own, has still not been cleared for practice and will be out for Game 2, still recovering from his broken arm that he suffered 5 weeks ago in Washington.
Next: New York Rangers, Ryan McDonagh Capture Game One Against Penguins
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