The New York Rangers faced a setback on Monday night as they were handed a 5-1 loss by a spirited Buffalo Sabres team, marking only their fourth defeat in regulation this season. However, the defeat was overshadowed by another significant injury to one of their key players, further complicating their lineup.

In the second period of the game, Rangers forward Kaapo Kakko suffered an ugly and awkward fall on his left leg after a collision with Buffalo defenseman Erik Johnson along the boards. Kakko immediately showed signs of pain, grabbing at his left knee and writhing on the ice. With assistance, he was helped off the ice but was unable to put any weight on his left leg.

Head coach Peter Laviolette provided little information on Kakko's condition post-game, stating that the 22-year-old would undergo an evaluation for a lower-body injury and more details would be known on Tuesday. This injury adds to the growing list of setbacks the Rangers have faced in recent weeks.

The injury to Kakko comes just as the team was hopeful for the return of defenseman Adam Fox, who participated fully in the morning skate and is eligible to be removed from long-term injured reserve on Wednesday against the Detroit Red Wings. On the other hand, forward Filip Chytil has just begun skating on his own after being placed on injured reserve with an upper-body injury.

The Rangers have been forced to navigate through a series of injuries, including being without their top goaltenders Igor Shesterkin and Jonathan Quick, leading to the emergence of Louis Domingue and Dylan Garand in the net. Despite these challenges, the team has managed to maintain a strong record, going 7-2-1 without their key defenseman and second-line center.

However, their performance on Monday night reflected the overall struggles they experienced throughout the game. The Rangers faced difficulties breaking out of their defensive zone and transitioning up the ice, leading to turnovers and careless puck management. Although they had opportunities on the power play, including a potential goal that was waved off due to a hand pass, the Sabres capitalized on their mistakes, building a 2-0 lead before the Rangers finally responded with a power-play goal from Mika Zibanejad in the third period.

Unfortunately for the Rangers, the equalizer never came as the Sabres added three more goals, including an empty-netter, to secure the win.

Looking ahead, the Rangers are likely to call up Jonny Brodzinski from the American Hockey League, who has been excelling with 25 points in 16 games. With injuries continuing to test their depth, the Rangers will need to regroup and find ways to overcome these challenges as they aim to maintain their strong start to the season.

As fans anxiously await updates on Kakko's injury, the team's resilience and ability to adapt will be tested once again, reinforcing the importance of depth and the "next man up" mentality in their quest for success.