Kreider-Stepan-Nash Line Starts Game 5 For Rangers

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Derek Stepan will be on the ice on Tuesday night when the Rangers look to eliminate the Montreal Canadiens and advance to the Stanley Cup finals for the first time since 1994.

The Blueshirts' center practiced earlier in the day in advance of Game 5 at Bell Centre in Montreal and centered a line featuring Rick Nash and Chris Kreider during warmups and when the opening puck dropped.

The 23-year-old forward underwent surgery on Friday after his jaw was broken on a Brandon Prust hit in Game 3. Stepan didn't play in Game 4, which the Rangers won in overtime.

"I mean, we've made sure today that we'd put him through in a normal situation, normal lines, normal work," Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said.

In 17 games this postseason, Stepan has three goals and eight assists. He scored 17 goals and dished out 40 assists during the regular season.

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