Mikhail Sergachev Comes Full Circle Tonight At MSG

Less than eight months after suffering a broken leg, Utah HC's undisputed top blue-liner has a chance at redemption tonight against the New York Rangers.

It was this time in February that Mikhail Sergachev was taken off the Madison Square Garden ice on a stretcher, his leg in an air cast.

Less than two months later, he was skating in a playoff game for the Tampa Bay Lightning for one of the last times.

Now, the Russian defenceman will get his chance at redemption tonight as Utah (2-0-0) looks to continue their perfect start against the New York Rangers (1-0-0) at The World's Most Famous Arena.

"For sure, as a human being, there's a bit of nerves at the beginning," head coach Andre Tourigny said of Sergachev Saturday at morning skate. "It's also good that we play it this early in the season, so he can put it behind him."

However, Tourigny said the team has the benefit of Sergachev playing plenty of times at MSG over the years, including scoring the game-winning goal in Game 5 of the 2022 Eastern Conference Final, propelling the Bolts to their third straight Stanley Cup Final.

It also helps the blue-liner is still willing to put his body on the line, accumulating three blocked shots in Thursday's win in upstate New York against the Islanders.

Notwithstanding the heart attacks it gives the coaches, players, and the fans, Tourigny added injuries are not only part of the game, but it's part of testing how a team grows through adversity.

"Right now, teams are their own worst enemy," he said. "That's what we do; I repeat myself, but it's a race for improvement."

Read more about tonight's opponent here: