Three Rangers are ‘very close’ to returning

The reinforcements are coming, and they’re sorely needed.

Before the Rangers’ brutal 4-3 overtime loss to the Blue Jackets on Thursday night at the Garden, coach David Quinn said the team is “very close” to getting back three key pieces — Kevin Shattenkirk, Jesper Fast and Cody McLeod. Quinn said all three could be ready as soon as Saturday night’s game in Nashville.

Shattenkirk has been out since he suffered a left-shoulder separation Dec. 10 in Tampa. The righty defenseman was supposed to be out two to four weeks, so this is on the early side for him. He was a full participant for Thursday’s morning skate in Westchester before his team’s Garden match against the Blue Jackets, their first game since returning from the three-day Christmas break. This was the first time Shattenkirk had skated with the team since the injury.

Fast has been out since he suffered an upper-body injury late in a game against the Coyotes on Dec. 14, which also was supposed to keep him out two to four weeks. He had practice with a non-contact jersey before the break.

McLeod, the slugging fourth-liner, had also practiced in a non-contact jersey since being sidelined with a broken hand, suffered when he was goaded into a fight with the Islanders’ Ross Johnston on Nov. 21.

Quinn had said he wasn’t going back to his five-forward power-play unit, but he did — and he got results. Chris Kreider scored just seven seconds into the team’s lone man-advantage, a tip of a Mats Zuccarello shot while joined on the ice by Kevin Hayes, Mika Zibanejad and Vlad Namestnikov.

The team came in with just one power-play goal in its previous four games, going 1-for-11 during that stretch.

Kevin Hayes had two assists to extend his career-best points streak to eight games. The 26-year-old, set to be an unrestricted free agent after this season, has five goals and 10 assists during this span.

Brendan Smith might be the easiest target for Quinn to pull out of the lineup if Shattenkirk is ready or if he wants to get Tony DeAngelo back in after sitting him for three straight.

Smith had played some assertive hockey in the three games before the break, but he struggled in this one, exemplified in consecutive shifts of 1:37 and 2:05 midway through the second period — the second shift being when he iced the puck twice.

Both Lias Andersson and Boo Nieves got just two shifts in the third period and none in the final 8:59.

Quinn, 52, said he enjoyed his three-day break from the rink.

“First good night’s sleep in six months,” he said.