Hartnett: Stepan Injury Thrusts J.T. Miller Into The Spotlight

By Sean Hartnett
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Rangers fans feared the worst when Islanders winger Matt Martin appeared to slash the right hand of key center Derek Stepan during Tuesday's lopsided 3-0 defeat. They could finally exhale in relief when head coach Alain Vigneault described Stepan's upper-body injury as "day-to-day" following Wednesday's noon practice.

Vigneault did not reveal any specifics about the injury, though he did say that Stepan would travel with the team on its three-game road trip. He described Stepan's chances of suiting up for Thursday's 7 p.m. game against the Boston Bruins as "most unlikely." Stepan did not practice with the Rangers at their Greenburgh practice facility on Wednesday. He was not available to speak with the media.

Forward J.T. Miller, 21, will assume Stepan's role centering Chris Kreider and Martin St. Louis. Miller skated with the pair during Wednesday's practice. Miller had skated on the left side of the Rangers' fourth line in recent games.

Miller spoke of the difference between playing as a bottom-six wing and a top-six center.

"It's a completely different position," Miller said. "I'm just trying to play. I'm not getting caught up in the switching. I'm just happy to be able to fill in when stuff like this happens. Probably in this role, you have more responsibility to provide a little more offense. You try to be more part of the play on the offensive side, make plays when you can and make the right play as well."

Through 20 games, Miller has scored five goals and collected five assists. That's solid production for a player who has mostly been getting bottom-six minutes. He's excited for the chance to play alongside Kreider and St. Louis. Miller said that St. Louis has gone out of his way to help him this season.

"He's super-friendly and super-willing to give answers and responses to my questions," Miller said. "Without even asking, he'll be very helpful. It's good to have a guy like that on your side. We have a pretty decent chemistry together. It should be a pretty exciting game.

"I see him every day and always pick his brain. I've played with him in a couple of games this year. He's played in the league for a long time and has that unbelievable track record. It can't hurt to ask a guy like that some questions."

Miller has studied St. Louis' legendary work ethic closely. He views St. Louis as a role model.

"He works his butt off in the gym," Miller said. "It's amazing to see somebody of his age, and someone who's played over 1,000 games, still working to get better. I'm a young guy at 21. He's 39 years old and he still works like that. He's definitely a role model for me to look up to. You can always do something to try to get better."

Here's how the Rangers' forward lines looked at Wednesday's practice: Nash-Brassard-Zuccarello, Kreider-Miller-St. Louis, Hagelin-D. Moore-Stempniak, Glass-Hayes-Fast.

Power-play unit one: Nash-Brassard-Zuccarello, St. Louis-Boyle. Power-play unit two: Kreider-Miller-Stempniak, McDonagh-Girardi.

TALBOT TO START ON THURSDAY

Henrik Lundqvist's streak of 35 straight starts against the Bruins will come to an end on Thursday night. Vigneault announced that Cam Talbot will start against the Bruins at TD Garden.

Talbot is 4-3-1 with a 2.06 goals-against average and a .929 save percentage. The 27-year-old netminder has earned three shutouts in seven starts this season.

He stopped 12 of 12 shots after relieving Lundqvist at the start of the third period of Tuesday's defeat.

Follow Sean on Twitter @HartnettHockey.

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