Rangers love ‘intense’ play they’ve seen at 4 Nations Face-Off

While the Rangers prepare for a late-season push to get back into the playoffs, at least some of their attention has been turned to the 4 Nations Face-Off, with Team USA and Team Canada set to play in the final on Thursday in Boston.

“It’s been good,” Will Cuylle said of the tournament. “The Canada-U.S. game [Saturday in Montreal, won by the U.S.] was really physical and very entertaining. I didn’t think it would be this intense.”

Cuylle was among those curious about the first time NHL players appeared in an international competition since the 2016 World Cup.

“I wasn’t sure what to expect because it hadn’t happened in a while,’’ Cuylle said. “It’s been impressive. The best players playing together, it’s gonna be good hockey. The atmosphere in Montreal was good and in Boston, too.”

Coach Peter Laviolette called the style played in the tournament “fast,” and he expected the players to be playing as hard as they’ve been.

“It’s like that all the time in those tournaments,” Laviolette said. “When I’ve been involved in Olympics and involved in World Cups, it elevates [the play]. You’re playing for your country. My recollection is it was up there: the skill, physicality [and] speed. That’s on display, for sure, right now.”

Two of the Rangers eliminated from the tournament, Mika Zibanejad (Team Sweden) and Urho Vaakanainen (Team Finland), will likely be back with the team Wednesday, though likely not on the ice, according to Laviolette.

“We’ll give them a minute here,’’ Laviolette said.

The coach also said he would assess his lineup, which he altered a bit in the second game of a back-to-back in Columbus on Feb. 8, once everyone returns from the tournament.

Igor Shesterkin has returned to skating on his own, a source told The Post’s Mollie Walker, but the goalie did not participate in practice Tuesday, the team’s first since the 4 Nations break.

Laviolette said the goalie was “day to day” as the team gets ready to resume its season Saturday at Buffalo.

The team recalled goalie Dylan Garand from AHL Hartford on Tuesday.

Shesterkin was expected to be sidelined for 1-2 weeks after likely suffering the upper-body injury during a Feb. 7 loss to Pittsburgh at Madison Square Garden, with Shesterkin flexing his right wrist following a scramble in front of the goalmouth late in the second period.

After being attended to by a trainer, Shesterkin finished the game, but he’s allowed at least four goals in three of his previous five starts and dealt with other injuries this season.

Alexis Lafrenière has just one goal and an assist in his past six games in what’s been a disappointing season, but Laviolette noted he was on a line with Cuylle and Vincent Trocheck when the Rangers scored the game-winner in their Feb. 8 win at Columbus that closed out the first half.

“He’s a big key, a big piece for us down the stretch,’’ Laviolette said of the 23-year-old, who has just 14 goals after notching 28 a year ago.

Arthur Kaliyev has shown flashes of the offensive skill the Rangers like about him, including with his goal against the Blue Jackets.