Just like that, Boo Nieves will disappear again.
The Rangers rookie was present for the team’s optional practice Saturday afternoon, but coach Alain Vigneault has ruled him out for Sunday’s game against the Canucks at the Garden because of a hip pointer he suffered in Friday night’s win over the Red Wings.
“It’s sore today,” Nieves said after coming off the ice Saturday. “It’s a tough injury. It’s definitely something you want to push through, but sometimes you have limitations. We’re going to take it day-by-day.”
Nieves said the injury occurred on one of his first shifts of the night when he was hit by Red Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall. He tried to play through it in the second period but was eventually declared out for the rest of the game.
Though Nieves was able to skate Saturday, he will be replaced by veteran center David Desharnais for at least Sunday’s game.
“I haven’t talked to our medical staff yet, but obviously he came in this morning feeling better than he was yesterday,” Vigneault said. “I’m not sure of the percentages, but at least it’s what we thought [Friday]. It’s just a day-to-day thing.”
Nieves said he could try to push through it Sunday, but admitted there are some limitations to his skating, so the Rangers are opting to give him rest. He said he had a similar injury during his college career at Michigan, but not to this extent.
For the 23-year-old looking for some consistency, it’s another aggravating development. After Nieves was recalled from AHL Hartford on Oct. 24, he played in four straight games before being sidelined with a stomach bug that forced him to miss three games earlier this month. He had shaken that off and played in six straight until Friday’s injury.
“It is really frustrating, especially a guy like me, who hasn’t necessarily established himself just yet,” Nieves said. “I think I’m getting there, but I need to string some games together, get healthy and really prove that I belong here every day.”
Nieves has just three assists on the year — all coming in his first game — but had been developing chemistry with Jimmy Vesey and Paul Carey on the fourth line before the injury. The trio brought speed and skill to the ice — not the look of a old-school fourth line, but “effective” nonetheless, Vigneault said.
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“I don’t think we’re a line that’s going to chip, chase and kill guys,” Nieves said. “We’re going to play physical and we’re going to play smart, but I think we have the skill to make some plays that traditional fourth lines aren’t usually able to do.
“Jimmy’s a kid that can put the puck in the net and Paul’s a really skilled, crafty guy down low. I’m just trying to do my part, flying through the middle and just trying to get those guys the puck. We’ve been able to create a little bit of offense.”
Vesey, Nieves and Carey were paired together ahead of the Rangers’ win against the Hurricanes last Sunday and had produced encouraging results while Desharnais was a healthy scratch. Now, Desharnais will look to fill in until Nieves comes back.
“Playing with Vesey and Boo, they’re both really good skaters, highly skilled players,” said Carey, who scored his first goal of the season in the line’s first game together at Carolina. “I think we’ve done a pretty effective job and spent most of the time in [opponents’] end of the rink, getting some pucks to the net and playing good hockey.”