Rangers RW Gaborik Out After 1st Period Vs. Flyers

NEW YORK (AP) Rangers top-line forward Marian Gaborik missed the final two periods of New York's 4-2 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday because of a concussion coach John Tortorella said occurred before the game.

Gaborik played six shifts, totaling 4:39 of ice time in the first period but wasn't on the bench when the second period began. He was ruled out of the game soon after.

"It didn't happen this game, I'm not sure when it happened," Tortorella said. "He's been off and on. I don't know when it happened."

After the game, Tortorella said Gaborik had been concussed and complained of generally not feeling right. The star forward was unavailable for comment. He had no shots in the Rangers' 1-0 loss at New Jersey on Friday night.

"Gaborik was playing along," Tortorella said. "I know he's had some conversations off the ice, he just wasn't dead on. But that's something we're going to have to talk to him and Rammer (trainer Jim Ramsey) about."

In 13 games since Gaborik scored four goals in a win over Toronto on Jan. 19, he has two goals and seven assists.

Gaborik, who took one shot Sunday, has 17 goals and 21 assists in 47 games after posting 42 goals and 44 assists last season, his first with New York.

The Rangers will play at Carolina on Tuesday and at Washington on Friday. Gaborik is unlikely to be on the trip.

The Flyers lost a player early Sunday when defenseman Sean O'Donnell was knocked out of the game after just one shift when he got tangled up in the corner with New York forward Mats Zuccarello. O'Donnell appeared to injure a leg and didn't return.

O'Donnell wouldn't give specifics about his injury, but said the decision to hold him out for the rest of the game was mostly for precautionary reasons.

He could play Tuesday when the Flyers host Phoenix.

"If it's not Tuesday, it's not going to be too long," the 39-year-old O'Donnell said. "It's nothing serious. If it was playoffs, it would be fine. We're getting to the stretch run here and we want everyone 100 percent. We're just going to take it day by day."

© 2011 by STATS LLC and Associated Press.
Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.