It was the second period of Game 2. Panthers forward Ryan Lomberg caught Jimmy Vesey with a big hit in open ice that injured the Rangers forward.

Vesey never returned for the remainder of the series. That night, the Rangers overcame his loss to pull out a 2-1 overtime win at The Garden. Barclay Goodrow won the game with 5:35 left.

It was obvious that the high hit Vesey took was a serious injury that ended his season. Whether it was the shoulder or forearm, he was writhing in pain. His loss was felt by the Rangers in the Eastern Conference Final.

Although he played a secondary role as a trustee checking forward who could kill penalties, Vesey was a key player on the fourth line. He had good chemistry with Goodrow and Matt Rempe. Their energy was infectious. It galvanized the team.

An outsider might not understand Vesey’s value. It was his combination of skating and grit that were key ingredients to the fourth line’s effectiveness. Losing him hurt the team’s depth.

Tried as he did, Rangers coach Peter Laviolette never was able to replace Vesey. For some games, Will Cuylle slid down to play with Goodrow and either Rempe or Jonny Brodzinski. Cuylle needed to have a bigger role. He was better suited for the third line.

Facing a very heavy team in the Panthers, Laviolette shortchanged himself by limiting Cuylle’s minutes. He got less than nine minutes over the last two games. Hardly enough for a young player who brought size, speed, and physicality.

The Rangers needed more of that. Jack Roslovic and Filip Chytil were ineffective against the Panthers. Laviolette never found the right fit for Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider. By moving Alex Wennberg up for Game 6, it was an admission that Chris Drury failed at the trade deadline.

To his credit, Roslovic had an impact earlier in the playoffs. He picked up two assists in the Rangers’ 5-3 comeback win over the Hurricanes in Game 6 to advance to the Conference Finals. However, he was ineffective against the stronger Panthers.

Chytil never quite fit on the right side with Zibanejad and Kreider. Eventually, Laviolette shifted Chytil back to center for Saturday’s game. Had he been healthy, Vesey probably would’ve gotten a look on the first line. That’s how out of wack things got.

A role player like Vesey shouldn’t have dramatically changed the lineup. It did because he was good on the forecheck. An area many Rangers struggled at against a tough opponent.

Laviolette even had Goodrow play up with Chytil and Kaapo Kakko. He went away from what worked all season. Goodrow was a fixture as the checking pivot. He helped supply valuable depth.

It didn’t make sense to move Wennberg up. He would’ve been better suited on the fourth line. Maybe Cuylle could’ve been tried with Zibanejad and Kreider. His aggressive style might’ve opened up the ice for them.

Laviolette tried different combinations. After having success with Roslovic in the first two rounds, he went away from it. That was due in large part to the matchup against Panthers Selke winner Aleksander Barkov.

The first line had its struggles. They didn’t score a goal at 5-on-5 against the Panthers.  Chytil was tried on the right wing. The trio were unable to generate any consistency. The lack of a forecheck hurt. They were unable to cycle pucks and create enough pressure.

For the most part, Artemi Panarin wasn’t used much with Zibanejad and Kreider. Laviolette only double shifted him occasionally. When it became apparent that they were unable to get inside during the third period in Game 6, maybe Laviolette should’ve loaded up. It couldn’t have hurt their chances.

Laviolette was so dependent on the Panarin, Vincent Trocheck, and Alexis Lafreniere line that he probably resisted the urge. Playing Wennberg with Zibanejad and Kreider was out of character. It didn’t give the team the best chance.

With Rempe hardly utilized, Laviolette went back to Brodzinski on the fourth line. He centered Cuylle and Roslovic. In all honesty, Goodrow was a much better fit. From an energy standpoint, he was one of the most effective players. Even though he was moved up to play with Chytil and Kakko, he only played 11:46. There were just two penalties called.

The Rangers missed Vesey’s grit. He complemented Goodrow and Rempe, who was effective when Laviolette played him. It wasn’t enough against the punishing style of the Panthers. It isn’t like Rempe was incapable of taking regular shifts. For his massive size, he’s a good skater who understood his role. He knew where to go defensively.

When looking back at the six-game defeat, they lacked enough size and strength. There weren’t enough drives to the front of Sergei Bobrovsky’s net. His job was much easier than Igor Shesterkin, who had to deal with way too many Panthers in his path.

With the season over, the Rangers can reflect on what they were unable to do to win the series. They’ll have to get tougher next season.