Filip Chytil returned to the New York Rangers lineup for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Second Round against the Carolina Hurricanes, his first game since suffering an upper-body injury on November 2. He replaced Matt Rempe, who played in the first two games but did not play after the second period of Game 2. The Rangers won 3-2 in overtime, leading the series 3-0.
Chytil, who played 12:02 minutes and had one shot on goal, started on the third line with Alex Wennberg and Kaapo Kakko. Will Cuylle moved to the fourth line alongside Barclay Goodrow and Jimmy Vesey, where Rempe had been.
Rangers coach Peter Laviolette explained that after a grueling Game 2, they wanted to maximize their bench, making it an ideal time for Chytil to return. Despite being out for five months, Laviolette praised Chytil’s performance, noting he improved as the game progressed.
Chytil was initially injured during a 2-1 win against the Hurricanes and returned to the Czech Republic in December to continue his rehab. He resumed practice in January but had a setback and was ruled out for the regular season. Chytil rejoined full-contact practices in April and had been working hard to return to the lineup, with Laviolette and the coaching staff carefully managing his recovery.
Chytil, who was selected by the Rangers in the first round of the 2017 NHL Draft, has 144 points in 337 regular-season games and 13 points in 30 playoff games.
