Dan Girardi foot.JPG

Rangers defenseman Dan Girardi left late in the third period against the Canadiens after blocking a P.K. Subban shot. But X-rays revealed he didn't fracture his right foot.

(Photo by Jean-Yves Ahern-USA TODAY Sports)

With Rick Nash, Arron Asham and Darroll Powe out of the Rangers' lineup, health was already a concern. But after last night's 3-0 loss to the Canadiens, it became an even bigger worry as defensemen Ryan McDonagh and Dan Girardi were added to the list.

There's at least some good news about Girardi, who left the game after blocking a P.K. Subban shot: TSN's Bob McKenzie reported on Twitter that X-rays on Girardi's foot were negative. "Good news," he wrote," although some bone bruises can be as painful/debilitating as a fracture."

McKenzie also reported that Canadiens forward Max Pacioretty will have a hearing with the NHL today after he hit McDonagh into the boards face first and knocked the blueliner out of the game. In his post-game press conference, John Tortorella asked the media, "How high did Pacioretty jump on his hit? Anybody give me an answer?" The coach didn't speculate regarding how he felt about the hit.

Here's NJ.com's daily aggregation of Rangers news from around the web:

• Christian Thomas made his NHL debut last night and had two shots on goal. "I felt more comfortable as it went on. Third period, I felt it was just another game out there. It was hard to get a ton of stuff going. Montreal was playing well defensively. It was a great experience," he said, via Newsday's Steve Zipay.

• The Post's Larry Brooks wondered if the Rangers will think about buying out Brad Richards this summer. "Under different circumstances, if the cap were not decreasing, if there were no cap-recapture, if they hadn't been forced to buy out Wade Redden because of a retroactive clause meant to punish the Rangers, then the organization could afford Richards patience and the benefit of the doubt even if this season is a down one. Only ifs and buts won't cut it," he wrote. "We are 17 games into a 48-game season that could be followed by up to 28 more in the playoffs. And so, again, this Richards buyout talk is indeed a case of premature speculation. But the obligation falls on Richards to ensure it doesn't become more than that."

• The Daily News' Pat Leonard looked at the relationship between Carl Hagelin and his brother Bobbie, who is a scout for the Calgary Flames. "To see Carl play the way he does, it gets pretty emotional at times -- I'm very proud of him," he told Leonard. "You know how it is with a little brother. But at the same time he needs to keep going, keep doing what he does, never be satisfied. And that's the guy he is. That's why I think he can play there."