A few hours before they host the Lightning in the home opener at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers announced that Joonas Korpisalo was placed on the injured reserve due a lower-body injury.

This came out of nowhere. After they traded for him in the off-season, Korpisalo was expected to be the backup goalie behind Igor Shesterkin. In two preseason games, he didn’t show any signs of being hurt. What happened? Did the injury occur during practice, or perhaps in warmups when the Rangers visited the Bruins on Tuesday night?

In any event, it’s puzzling. Even more so, Rangers team president and general manager Chris Drury was willing to leave Dylan Garand unprotected this past Sunday. Luckily, he passed through waivers on Monday and cleared to be assigned to the Hartford Wolf Pack.

Three days later, Garand was recalled to back up Shesterkin for Thursday night. With the Rangers having a back-to-back tomorrow when they visit the Red Wings, he’ll likely make his first start of the season.

The Rangers will then return home for the Mammoth on Sunday and the Islanders next Tuesday.

Iorio Assigned to Wolf Pack

After being placed on injured reserve, defenseman Vincent Iorio passed through waivers unclaimed. The Rangers assigned him to the Wolf Pack.

Lineup Remains the Same

When the Rangers are introduced, head coach Mike Sullivan will go with the same lineup as the one that got shut out in Boston.

Gabe Perreault-Mika Zibanejad-Alexis Lafreniere

Pavel Dorofeyev-J.T. Miller-Oliver Bjorkstrand

Will Cuylle-Noah Laba-Eeli Tolvanen

Tye Kartye-Joe Veleno-Matt Rempe

Vladislav Gavrikov-Adam Fox

Marcus Pettersson-Sean Durzi

Alberts Smits-Braden Schneider

Igor Shesterkin