Mandatory Credit: James Carey Lauder-USA TODAY Sports
NEW YORK — The Rangers got some good news on Monday.
After missing Game 4 (illness), Filip Chytil participated in the morning skate ahead of Game 5 against the Hurricanes.
Rangers coach Peter Laviolette added on Sunday that Chytil is feeling better. Laviolette said he is hopeful that the the forward could return to the lineup on Monday.
“As far as I know, he’s feeling better today and we’ll see how he is tomorrow,” Laviolette said, per NHL.com. “I hope [he can be an option Monday] but I don’t have an answer on it now. From what I understand, he was feeling better [Saturday] night, feeling better [Sunday] morning.”
Chytil, who missed nearly the entire regular season after suffering a concussion, unexpectedly returned for Game 3 on Thursday. It was equally discouraging, however, that Chytil could not take the ice two days later for Game 4.
The 30-year-old played just 10 games this season.
The Rangers called it an illness on Saturday, but it is not clear whether that was connected to the head injury that Chytil battled for nearly five months.
Jonny Brodzinski drew the started ahead of Matt Rempe, seeing 8:49 of ice on the fourth line with Jimmy Vesey and Barclay Goodrow.
The Rangers, up three games to one, will look to close out the series at home on Monday night.
