During the Rangers‘ preseason win over the Devils on Wednesday night, RW Ryan Reaves was injured after a hit from PK Subban near the boards.
Reaves, who suffered the injury in the first period, was helped off the ice and was later ruled out of the game due to a lower body injury.
After the game, Rangers head coach Gerard Gallant said he didn’t believe Reaves’ injury was serious, adding that Reaves was day-to-day.
On the very next shift after Reaves was hurt, Chris Kreider got in Subban’s face.
Kreider and Subban also got into it in the second period and eventually fought in the third.
“You saw last year, at the end of last year,” Mika Zibanejad told reporters after the game about the Rangers’ camaraderie. “It’s coming together as a group like that and to know that guys have each other’s backs. That’s always important, no matter what sport.”
Said Gallant about Subban’s hit on Reaves:
“I don’t think it was a vicious hit or a slew foot,” Gallant told reporters. “But you know, when you see a guy get hurt and guys step up and do a little bit of a response there, that’s what you want.”