Katie Strang, ESPN.com 10y

McDonagh recovers quickly in return

NEW YORK -- It’s a lot easier to joke around after you win a playoff game.

That’s what New York Rangers coach Alain Vigneault was able to do following his team’s 4-1 win against the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 1 of the team's first-round series Thursday at Madison Square Garden.

When asked about the return of his top defenseman, Ryan McDonagh, Vigneault had a little fun at the 24-year-old blueliner’s expense, saying he wished he would’ve opted to play him before the playoffs started.

“I feel like I should’ve played him at the beginning in Montreal [on Saturday],” Vigneault quipped.

McDonagh, who played for the first time since sustaining a left shoulder injury in a game against the Vancouver Canucks on

April 1, had a rough start to the game with a few cringe-worthy moments in the first period of play. That’s pretty rare for McDonagh, whose steadiness and skill has anchored the team’s blueline all season long.

But once he was able to shake off some of the initial cobwebs, he showed immediate improvement, morphing back into the McDonagh the Rangers recognize.

“He found his hands, found his rhythm. He had been out for a couple weeks ... but he did get better,” Vigenault said. “He got more confidence and he’s only going to get better as he goes along here.”

McDonagh, who finished the night with 22:42 in ice time and a minus-1 rating, admitted he was not at the top of his game to start.

“I was not myself and I just couldn’t get a good grip on the puck, couldn’t feel my skates, but the guys stayed positive with me and I found a way to contribute,” McDonagh said.

McDonagh’s health is a relief for a Rangers squad that has relied upon his poise and effectiveness this season. Him and defensive partner Dan Girardi are usually tasked with matching up against opponents’ top lines, and Thursday was no different.

The Flyers’ dangerous first line of Scott Hartnell, Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek limited to a mere assist among them. Giroux and Voracek finished the game without a shot on goal, despite a critical third-period, power-play opportunity.

And the Flyers did not make life easy on McDonagh, as they appeared to make a concerted effort to finish their checks against him, particularly in the first period.

“That’s the tough thing coming right into a playoff game,” defenseman Marc Staal said. “His game fell right back into place. He was pretty dynamic out there as the game went on so it was good to see.”

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