Adam Fox’s practice layoff paid off with solid Game 1 performance for Rangers

Whatever maintenance kept Adam Fox off the ice for practice in the week leading into the second round did not keep the defenseman from putting together a solid Game 1 performance against the Hurricanes.

“It felt good,” Fox said after Monday’s practice. “I think it was more being off for a little while, you jump back into it, but yeah, felt good. They’re a team where you’re gonna be defending a little bit, you’re gonna have to battle hard. I felt like the game was pretty good.”

Fox has been on the wrong end of two different collisions this season, first with Carolina’s Sebastian Aho back in November — which put him out of the lineup for 10 games — and then with Nick Jensen in Game 4 against Washington.

The extra time between series was a boon as Fox got to take five days off the ice before rejoining the team for practice the day before Game 1.

He ultimately skated his usual 23:01 and notched an assist, though he was on the ice for a defensive breakdown when Martin Necas skated between Fox and Ryan Lindgren to score Carolina’s second goal in the 4-3 Rangers victory.

“There’s definitely room to clean it up. I can speak for myself, a few breakdowns on that one goal especially, the lock where they got in there,” Fox said. “I think we had a pretty good recipe there, winning the special teams is always gonna set you up for success and it’s gonna be a battle five-on-five. I think there’s always things you can work on, especially in a series where you’re gonna be playing the same team a lot.”