Rangers defensive pairing reunites during offensive-zone situations

K’Andre Miller and Adam Fox took warmup rushes together Thursday night for the first time since Nov.25.When Miller started the game with Will Borgen and Fox took his first shift with Carson Soucy, however, it was apparent that they wouldn’t be deployed as a traditional pairing.Miller and Fox primarily skated together in offensive-zone situations, logging 7:28 of five-on-five ice time together, per Natural Stat Trick, in the Rangers’ 4-3 loss to the Maple Leafs at the Garden.Despite some strong numbers earlier this season, the two were on for two goals against in the loss.“Just by zones, just by where we’re at,” head coach Peter Laviolette said of his thought process behind the rotation of defensemen.

“Offensive zone, defensive zone, opponent.So we moved it around.”Laviolette had developed a tendency to put Miller and Fox together in urgent late-game situations, after the two put up some of the best numbers together among Rangers’ ‘D’ pairs earlier this season.With the since-traded Ryan Lindgren on injured reserve to start the season, Miller skated with Fox for the first 10 games before they were broken up for four contests.

They were then put back together for the following six games.Amid what is now a three-game losing streak, Laviolette opted to reunite the duo, but only in certain situations.In 290:34 of ice time at five-on-five prior to Thursday’s loss, Miller and Fox had outscored opponents 17-10, while also out-attempting them 170-109.They had a significant edge in scoring chances, 195-101, as well as 80-48 in high-danger chances.For a player like Fox, who is four games back from an eight-game absence with an upper-body injury, there has been an adjustment to not only being back in the lineup but also skating without Lindgren.“I don’t know if that’s anything to do with partners,” Fox said when asked if switching partners mid-game negatively impacts trying to establish chemistry.

“Obviously, you want to have that chemistry w...