Rangers' defense pair of Adam Fox and K'Andre Miller will stay intact

WASHINGTON — When Ryan Lindgren returned from injured reserve and reentered the Rangers’ lineup, coach Peter Laviolette started the rugged veteran defenseman out on the third pair, partnering with rookie Victor Mancini. That was a way of easing Lindgren back into things, as he wouldn’t be taking on as much ice time in his first few games back, while trying to get back up to game speed.

But it also was a statement by Laviolette that he liked what he’d gotten out of the top two defense pairs — K’Andre Miller-Adam Fox and Braden Schneider-Jacob Trouba — to that point. And he wanted to see more of them.

On Saturday against Anaheim, in his third game back, Lindgren got moved up to the second pair, partnering with Trouba. And that’s where he will be again Tuesday, when the Rangers visit the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena.

But the top pair of Miller-Fox will remain together for the ninth consecutive game. And at the Rangers’ optional morning skate, when Laviolette was asked whether his intention is to eventually have Lindgren work his way back to the top pair with his longtime partner Fox, the coach gave no indication that that was his long-term plan.

“Right now, we're just feeling it out,’’ he said. “K’Andre and Foxy have been a really good pair for us. We like it, so we haven't changed that. And I know that [the other pairs have] changed a little bit, but that's based on the left shot and the right shot coming in now, between [Zac] Jones and Mancini.’’

Through the first eight games, the Miller-Fox pair had put up good analytics in 5-on-5 play. With those two on ice, the Rangers had outscored opponents 6-4 in 5-on-5 play, outshot them 78-43, and created 91 scoring chances for, compared to 44 against. And, of course, the team had taken points in seven of the eight games (6-1-1).

And according to Fox, the Jericho native, the pair is getting better the more it plays together.

“It’s a long season, there's gonna be games you aren't feeling it, and games that you know the team as a whole isn't playing well, so, obviously, you as a pair isn't gonna be great,’’ Fox said. “But yeah, I think, just understanding each other's game, that gets better by each game . . . just kind of feeling where each other is on the ice . . .You just understand each other's games a little better and better.’’

Fox admitted (as Lindgren had a few days earlier) that it is a little weird not playing with Lindgren, his partner for almost all of his five previous seasons in the league.

Style-wise, playing with Lindgren, who is more of a true stay-at-home defenseman, allows Fox to do most of the work when it comes to skating the puck out of the zone and joining the rush on offense, with Lindgren hanging back. Playing with Miller, who is more of a two-way defenseman, means that sometimes it is Miller bringing the puck out of the defensive zone, or joining the rush, while Fox has the responsibility of staying back.

“I think that's again, just ‘game feel,’ "’ Fox said. “Even when I'm with Lindy, if he's ahead of me and jumping in, I'll stay back . . . I don't think it's like, ‘Hey, I'm the guy who jumps every time.’ It's feeling out the game. And if you're ahead of me, it's not, ‘Hey, take your strides off, I'm jumping.’

“[But] obviously Key has that skating ability to lug the puck himself, and can get up there. So yeah, sometimes you’ve just got to be a little more aware of where he is, and if he's jumping.’’

Jones-Mancini coin flip

For now, Laviolette said, he intends on “going game-by-game’’ with Jones, who is a lefthanded shot, and Mancini, a righthander. Schneider will be the partner for whichever of those two is in the lineup, playing the right side with Jones (who played Saturday against Anaheim) and shifting to the left with Mancini (who will be in the lineup Tuesday).

Blue notes

Igor Shesterkin will get the start in goal against the Capitals . . . Matt Rempe, who returned to the team Monday after a two-game stint with AHL Hartford over the weekend, will enter the lineup. It will be his third game of the season . . . Jonny Brodzinski and Jones will be the healthy scratches.

By Colin Stephenson

colin.stephenson@newsday.comColinSNewsday

Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.