NYR AV LAF New York Rangers [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers/new-york-rangers/rangers-kaapo-kakko-approaching-second-half-of-season-with-clean-conscience] captain Jacob Trouba [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers/news/rangers-jacob-trouba-suspended-two-games-for-elbowing-pavel-dorofeyev] is returning to the lineup tonight against the Tampa Bay Lightning following a two-game suspension. He was suspended on Jan. 27 for elbowing Pavel Dorofeyev in the team's 6-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. "That's still kind of out of my control. I say my piece in the hearing and that's that's all I can really do. So I'm just gonna keep playing hockey," Trouba said. "I just got a longer break than everybody else." The 29-year-old rearguard is the only player in the NHL with 120+ blocks and 100+ hits, recording 142 blocks and 112 hits in 48 games. "Trouba plays a hard brand of hockey. He's the captain of this team. When you're missing a piece like that it's tough... I think our guys did a good job of covering for him, but it's nice to have him back," said Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers/news/peter-laviolette-ties-al-arbour-for-seventh-all-time-in-wins]. The Rangers will field their complete defensive lineup tonight. At points this season they were without Adam Fox [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers/new-york-rangers/letting-the-game-come-to-me-adam-fox-adjusting-after-ltir-stint]long-term, K'Andre Miller [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers/news/kandre-miller-returns-to-practice-status-for-this-weekend-questionable], and Ryan Lindgren [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers/news/ryan-lindgren-exits-game-with-injury]. The team skated in two games without Trouba, earning a much-needed confidence win in Ottawa [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers/new-york-rangers/rangers-score-seven-even-strength-goals-defeat-senators-7-2] before the All-Star break and a clutch victory against the Colorado Avalanche [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers/new-york-rangers/rangers-win-goaltending-duel-in-overtime-lafreniere-scores-game-winner] on Monday to start the second half of the season on the right foot. The club finished January with a 5-7-2 record. For context, they were 7-2-0 in October, 9-2-1 in November, and 9-5-0 in December. At points in the year, they were the best team in the entire NHL. Now back down to Earth, the Blueshirts are third in the Eastern Conference and eighth in the NHL. Thirty-two games remain in the regular season. "I think the break came up at a good time for us, just to reset [and] turn the page. We played well yesterday," said Trouba. "...[It] reset the energy, the excitement, and I kind of feel like guys are a little more jumping coming back from break. I think that yesterday was a good example of a big [win] for us. So I'm excited to get back in the lineup." The Rangers continue to re-install what made the team successful in the first quarter of the season. Defending rush plays, converting more on the powerplay, and strengthening play in the neutral zone are all notable items on that list. "I think you can see the differences of when we're playing well and when we're not. It's just a little bit," Trouba said. "[I]t's not a huge difference. Like I said, we weren't getting the doors blown off us in those games but they were pretty close games and [we] just came out on the wrong side." The core of this group is no stranger to tough times, whether it has been in the regular season or the playoffs. In 2022, the Rangers were losing both the ECQF and ECSF to the Pittsburgh Penguins and Carolina Hurricanes but prevailed in two Game 7 victories. A tough December last year sparked a seven-game win streak in January. The club also responded to their early post-season exit in May by starting this season with a new attitude. "I think resiliency is what you can expect from your teammates in tough times," said Trouba. "I mean, that was a longer stretch, but when you get to a playoff series that can be one or two games and you know what it takes to kind of get out of it. You've been there you've learned a little bit about the group..." In the interim, Zac Jones [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers/new-york-rangers/rangers-zac-jones-back-in-lineup-after-impressive-pre-break-showing] and Connor Mackey [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers/new-york-rangers/rangers-connor-mackey-could-answer-back-end-muscle-necessity-jonny-brodzinski-jacob-trouba-adam-fox-erik-gustafsson-hartford-wolf-pack-zac-jones-will-cuylle-brennan-othmann-louis-domingue] earned an opportunity to play with Trouba absent. "I think [Connor] Mackey had a big fight. That was a big moment in that game for sure." On Jan. 27 Mackey skated 16:27 TOI and fought Brady Tkachuk while Zac Jones scored the go-ahead goal. In the last two contests, Jones has recorded 32:17 TOI. "[Zac] Jones played two good games...He's been working hard all year. It's not always easy being in the spot where you're not getting in the lineup as much as you want to. He got his opportunity to get out there and played really well." TOP STORIES:
