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The Rangers will be without Mika Zibanejad until at least Tuesday night’s match at the Garden against the Ducks, according to coach Alain Vigneault.
Zibanejad, the first-line center and critical component of the first power-play unit that has gone stale in his absence, will miss a ninth straight game Saturday in Boston as he recovers from the concussion he suffered Nov. 24, but played through two days later before leaving the lineup.
“Mika skated on his own [Thursday] and is following the protocol,” Vigneault said. “As far as I know, he’s improving. He’s going to practice with us on Monday.”
Zibanejad, who also participated in the morning skate prior to Friday’s 4-2 Garden victory over the Kings, has yet to engage in a full practice in his regular spot up front, though he did take part in one as a spare defenseman. He is tied for third on the team scoring (22 points) and tied for second in goal-scoring (11)despite his long-term absence.
The power play has gone 3-for-22 , including Chris Kreider’s first-period deflection from in front in the first period Friday, without Zabanejad’s right-handed presence in the left circle as the counterpoint to Kevin Shattenkirk on the top.
Kings winger Marian Gaborik, one of only three players in Rangers history — with Jean Ratelle and Mike Gartner — to have hit the 40-goal circle more than once, played his 1,000th NHL game and was recognized on the Garden video screen during the first television timeout for achieving the milestone.
“That was very classy of them,” Gaborik said. “They didn’t have to do that. I appreciate it.”
Gaborik, who had a terrific game, beat Henrik Lundqvist five-hole from the left circle at 3:46 of the second. He scored five goals on Dec. 20, 2007 against the King in Minnesota while a member of the Wild. He also has beaten Lundqvist in All-Star games and international competition.
“I don’t know, NHL, Olympics, World Cup, All-Star … that’s kind of been the story,” Gaborik said. “It’s fun.”
Gaborik, who recorded 42 goals in 2009-10 and 41 in 2011-12, signed with the Blueshirts as a free agent on July 1, 2009 before he was traded to Columbus for Derick Brassard, John Moore and Derek Dorsett at the 2012-13 deadline after his relationship with then-coach John Tortorella deteriorated beyond repair.
The world-class sniper, who was traded to the Kings at the 2013-14 deadline and thereafter won the Stanley Cup a few months later in the five-game final against the Rangers, entered the match with 400 career goals and 400 career assists.
He recorded 114 goals and 115 assists for 229 points in 255 games on Broadway.
Ondrej Pavelec , who stopped 85-of-89 shots in his last two starts against the Penguins and Stars, is likely to get the call against the Bruins in the back end of this back-to-back. Pavelec became the first Rangers goaltender to make 40 or more saves in consecutive starts since Dan Blackburn made 45 apiece against the Canadiens and Capitals, respectively, on Nov. 23 and Dec. 1, 2001.