Even on a day the Rangers got some positive injury news, they were blindsided by more bad luck.
While Igor Shesterkin will only be going on injured reserve after the goalie left Monday’s loss to Utah with an apparent left leg injury, Adam Fox is headed to long-term IR, a source told The Post’s Mollie Walker.
It was the latest dose of ugly reality for a team that has dealt with significant injuries throughout the season.
Shesterkin continues to be evaluated for a lower-body injury following his scary injury in the first period Monday at Madison Square Garden that left him writhing in pain before he had to be helped off the ice.
In the immediate aftermath of the injury, it was certainly reasonable to fear the goalie might be out indefinitely.
But relief regarding Shesterkin’s status was doused by the fact that Fox, after just three games back from a shoulder injury that kept him out for 14 games, would be out at least 10 games and 24 days, this time with a lower-body injury, a source said. The earliest Fox can return is Jan. 31 in Pittsburgh.
Fox had sparked what’s been an inconsistent power play for the Rangers, as the defenseman helped the unit go 5-for-8 in his three games back from the shoulder injury, including the team’s only two goals on Monday night.
Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin is helped off the ice by a trainer and New York Rangers defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov after falling back on his leg. JASON SZENES/ NY POST
But Fox didn’t play in the brief overtime session before Utah scored the game-winner, which came against Jonathan Quick, who replaced Shesterkin.
Without Shesterkin and Fox, the Rangers announced Tuesday that goalie Spencer Martin and defenseman Scott Morrow had been recalled from Hartford of the AHL.
Shesterkin is in the first year of the massive eight-year, $92 million contract extension he signed a year ago and an extended absence by the 30-year-old would likely have been devastating to a Rangers team that is already near the bottom of the Eastern Conference and has lost 10 of its last 15 games.
“There are certain guys that drive your team and he’s one of them for us,” Mike Sullivan said of Shesterkin following Monday’s game. “He’s an elite player at his position. I think he’s one of the very best in the game. Those types of players are difficult to replace.”
Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin lays on the ice after falling back on his leg in the first period against the Mammoth. JASON SZENES/ NY POST
There is confidence Quick can still give them a chance to win, but he turns 40 next month and Shesterkin is having another standout season after his performance slipped last year following the extension.
Shesterkin has played at least 53 games in each of the previous four seasons and was a main reason why the Rangers have remained at least in the playoff conversations in spite of their scoring issues.
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But even with Shesterkin in good form, the Rangers haven’t shown many signs of getting on a roll.
Entering Tuesday, only three teams in the Eastern Conference had fewer points than the Rangers and the Rangers had three games in hand on all of them.
And the injury bug that’s plagued them throughout the year hasn’t slowed.
Fox is integral to not just the power play, but his chemistry with Vladislav Gavrikov was expected to be another key to the team’s success.
Now, Fox is out again, joining not only Shesterkin, but J.T. Miller, who is out with an upper-body injury — although the captain was a full participant in Monday’s optional skate and appears to be close to returning — while Noah Laba is sidelined with an upper-body injury and Adam Edstrom and Conor Sheary are dealing with lower-body injuries.