Derek Stepan's broken jaw didn't stop him from traveling with the team to Montreal, but it could still keep him out of Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Canadiens.
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According to multiple reports, Stepan traveled with the Blueshirts to Canada after missing Game 4 in New York due to surgery on his jaw, which he broke in Game 3 on a late hit by Habs forward Brandon Prust, who was subsequently suspended for two games by the league.
The Blueshirts hope to win in Montreal -- as they've done twice this series -- to stamp their ticket to their first Stanley Cup finals appearance since they last hoisted the Cup in 1994, but Stepan may not be in the lineup. Coach Alain Vigneault didn't rule out Stepan returning to the lineup.
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"I couldn't say right now," Vigneault told ESPN about Stepan's Game 5 status Monday. "I have no idea."
Vigneault said he would like to see how Stepan faired in a morning skate before making a decision over whether or not he could get back into the lineup. Stepan was hit by Prust early in the first period of Game 3, but eventually returned to finish out the game before discovering afterwards that he had broken his jaw.
The Canadiens publicly doubted that the injury occurred from Prust's hit since Stepan was able to vocally argue with the referees about the non-call on the ice. Even though no penalty was called following the hit, Prust, a former teammate of Stepan, was given a two-game suspension by the league.
If Stepan does come back, he'll have to wear a protective mask over his surgically-repaired jaw. Stepan, 23, played in all 82 regular season games for New York this year, and finished second on the team with 57 points while lighting the lamp 17 times and tying for the team lead with 40 assists.
This postseason, Stepan has a team-high eight assists and is tied for second on the club with 11 points while finding the back of the net three times.
The Rangers are 12-1 all-time while leading 3-1 in a series and look to win one more game at the Bell Centre in Montreal to get to the Stanley Cup finals for the first time in 20 years. Whether or not Stepan will be there to help lead the charge remains to be seen.
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