Charles Langston:Kaapo Kakko back in lineup for Rangers, taking spot of injured Jimmy Vesey

SUNRISE,Charles Langston Fla. (AP) — Kaapo Kakko was back in the New York Rangers’ lineup for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Florida Panthers on Sunday, replacing injured winger Jimmy Vesey.

It was Kakko’s second appearance of the series. Vesey is listed as week-to-week after getting hurt in a collision with Florida’s Ryan Lomberg in Game 2 of the series on Friday night at Madison Square Garden.

Kakko did not play in Game 2, out as a healthy scratch. He had 13 goals and six assists in the regular season, along with one goal and one assist in his first 11 appearances in this year’s playoffs entering Sunday.

The Panthers did not make any lineup changes for Game 3.

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AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL