Rangers' Ryan Lindgren praised for performance vs Penguins despite injury: 'He's a warrior'

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New York Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren missed three games in the first-round series against the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Stanley Cup playoffs but made all the difference when he returned.

Lindgren suffered a lower-body injury in Game 1 of the series and missed Games 2-4. The Rangers lost Game 1 in overtime and managed to win Game 2 before losing Games 3 and 4 by a goal differential of minus-7. 

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New York Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren against the Pittsburgh Penguins on May 11, 2022, at Madison Square Garden in New York City. (Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

In his return in Game 5, Lindgren scored an empty-net goal to seal the win and keep New York’s playoff chances alive. He would pick up a point on an assist to Mika Zibanejad in Game 6 as the Rangers stunned the Penguins on the road 5-3. He would finish plus-1 in the deciding Game 7 win.

Throughout the series, Lindgren’s teammates praised the defenseman’s efforts and underscored just how important he is to the team.

"That’s just the kind of player he is," Chris Kreider said of Lindgren’s performance in Game 5, via the New York Post.  "That’s just how he’s built. I don’t think we expected anything less, but at the same time, I think the proper word is inspiring. He’s a warrior. He’s the kind of guy that you want to be in a foxhole with you.

Ryan Lindgren of the New York Rangers lines up for a face-off in the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Penguins on May 13, 2022, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Kirk Irwin/Getty Images)

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