Ryan McDonagh injury update: Doubtful for Game 3

Rangers captain Ryan McDonagh is considered doubtful to play in Game 3. 

The New York Rangers have several reasons to be very happy right now. They emerged from Pittsburgh with a split in their first round series against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist suffered a major scare when he was hit in the eye and appears to be fully healthy after not missing Game 2.

Perhaps their biggest reason for optimism is that their captain Ryan McDonagh has returned to practice. While McDonagh is still not likely to play according to head coach Alain Vigneault, that’s a huge upgrade from being listed as “out”.

McDonagh has been out since early April with a hand injury. Rangers fans should be optimistic that he was a full participant in practice because that means his hand is healthy enough to grip his stick properly. It’s still not likely 100 percent, but it’s definitely getting better and his return should be sooner as opposed to later.

With McDonagh in the lineup, the Rangers have a solid chance of upsetting the Penguins. McDonagh is one of the Rangers’ best puck movers and the Rangers have struggled with that in the series. He is also their most reliable shutdown defenseman. While Kevin Klein has been filling in quite capably for McDonagh, Klein is not the presence that McDonagh is.

McDonagh might be listed as doubtful, but it seems like that might be Vigneault playing mind games with the Penguins. Don’t be surprised to see McDonagh on the ice in Tuesday’s pivotal Game 3.

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