LOS ANGELES — The Rangers finally might have found a fourth line.
The combination of Tanner Glass-Dominic Moore-Viktor Stalberg was terrific in its inaugural appearance during the team’s 2-1 win at Anaheim on Wednesday night, and the trio continued its strong effort in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Kings at Staples Center on Thursday night.
“I thought the balance I was looking for, I saw [Wednesday] night,” coach Alain Vigneault said Thursday afternoon, with that line having produced Kevin Klein’s game-tying goal Wednesday. “I thought that fourth line was good as far as getting pucks, advancing pucks, getting pucks deep. They scored that goal because they used their size. They shot the puck. Kleiner was able jump on a rebound.”
It had been a struggle for coach Alain Vigneault to find suitable running mates for Moore, and the stalwart fourth-line center saw his own game slip as a result.
Stalberg has been one of the team’s best forwards over the past few months, and his speed and play-making ability is just what Moore needed.
“As far as me being able to play the four lines, me having Viktor there enabled us to do that,” Vigneault said. “He was a good speed element on that line. He played real well [Wednesday] night.”
The Rangers had the same lineup two games in a row, meaning rookie forward Oscar Lindberg was a healthy scratch again. Lindberg had been scratched for three games this season prior to this stretch, and only on Jan. 11-14 were they consecutive games.
It also left Kevin Hayes on the right wing of a line with J.T. Miller and Eric Staal, a place with which Vigneault hopes Hayes gets familiar. Miller and Hayes each scored a goal as the Rangers built a 3-1 lead.
“I do believe he’s more comfortable in the middle, but right now at this stage, we’re using him on the wing,” Vigneault said of the big-bodied 23-year-old. “He’s played that position before. I’ve said many times that being able to play more than one position is a bonus for a player. He’s got to find a way to contribute. That’s where he’s going to play right now, and we expect him to play better than he has the last couple games.”
There apparently were no ill effects for captain Ryan McDonagh, who was struck in the side of the head with a deflected Cam Fowler slap shot in the closing seconds of Wednesday’s game. McDonagh had been down on the ice in pain for a few minutes but left under his own power, and Vigneault said after the game he was “all right.” McDonagh logged 22:22 of ice time and had a +2 rating in the loss.
After backup goalie Antti Raanta started Wednesday, Henrik Lundqvist (33 saves) got the nod in nets against the Kings, as he will Saturday afternoon in San Jose, where this trip concludes.