Rangers’ Kaapo Kakko surprise scratch for Game 2 vs. Panthers

NHL

By Mollie Walker

For the second time in three years, Kaapo Kakko was eliminated in the Eastern Conference finals.

The Finnish winger had to watch from the press box during Game 2 against the Panthers on Friday night at Madison Square Garden, just like the time former head coach Gerard Gallant benched him during the Game 6 of the 2022 Conference Finals at Tampa Bay.

“I think you always look at your roster and evaluate it,” head coach Peter Laviolette said of potential roster changes Friday morning. “I don’t necessarily know if it’s (an overreaction or looking for a spark regarding the roster changes). I was quite honest, I think we are capable of playing better. I think we did some good things. I think we generated some scoring chances, even though they weren’t huge because that’s just not what happens when you play Florida. I think we had six or seven really nice looks.

“Within that, we need to make some of these looks pay off. …So I think there are things that you can just look at the alignment itself and not necessarily whether there’s movement or not, but look at the alignment itself and get better with that game, with this plan, with this group.

“And if you move, you move.” But I think we need to look at the bigger picture and look to improve on the ice.

As a result, Matt Rempe returned to the lineup for the first time since Game 5 of the second round series against the Hurricanes.

The 6-foot-8 ½ forward returned to his usual spot on the fourth line alongside Barclay Goodrow and Jimmy Vesey.

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Laviolette also chose to reorganize some of the other lines.

Flipping Jack Roslovic to the right wing of the third unit alongside Alex Wennberg and Will Cuylle, Filip Chytil was promoted to the right wing of the top line alongside Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad.

The second trio of Artemi Panarin, Vincent Trocheck and Alexis Lafrenière remained intact.

Entering Game 2 Friday night, the Rangers had 33 wins, their most in a single regular season and playoffs combined.

They are only the second team in the last three decades to record 33 or more regular season and playoff wins combined, joining the 2005-06 Hurricanes.

Goalie Igor Shesterkin is the third goalie in franchise history to win eight or more in multiple playoff series, joining Henrik Lundqvist, who did it three times, and Mike Richter, who did it twice.