NHL denies Rangers' request for emergency recall

The Rangers played shorthanded again on Thursday night as the NHL denied their request to make an emergency recall, according to multiple reports.

The Rangers dressed only five defensemen against the Senators at the Garden in Patrick Kane’s debut. The Rangers acquired Kane from Chicago in a deal that was expected for weeks and was announced Tuesday night.

With Ryan Lindgren out with an upper-body injury and K’Andre Miller serving the second game of a three-game suspension for spitting on Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty on Sunday, the Rangers asked the league to allow them to call up an extra defenseman even though that would put them over the salary cap.

But the league, according to the reports, decided that the Rangers caused their own emergency when they decided to trade for Kane.

“I don’t know the rules,” coach Gerard Gallant said on Thursday afternoon as Kane was introduced to the media.

The Rangers were shorthanded in their 3-2 overtime victory in Philadelphia on Wednesday night.

“Honestly, the players didn’t mind it,” Gallant said. “There was nobody coming back to the bench gassed. I think they really enjoyed it.”

Kane, who decided not to meet the team in Philadelphia on Wednesday and instead reported to the Rangers’ practice facility in Greenburgh, said he appreciated the team playing shorthanded while he got settled.

“I kind of feel bad,” he said. “I feel like the guys have been playing short here for a while just to bring me in. But hopefully it’s worth it in the long run. And I’m definitely happy they were still able to move some money around and make it work.’’

Lindgren is day-to-day. Miller will miss Saturday’s game in Boston in the final game of his suspension.

By Anthony Rieber

anthony.rieber@newsday.comAnthonyRieber

Anthony Rieber covers baseball, as well as the NFL, NBA and NHL. He has worked at Newsday since Aug. 31, 1998, and has been in his current position since July 5, 2004.