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Flu sidelines red-hot Kaapo Kakko

TAMPA, Fla. — Turns out that all the swagger that Kaapo Kakko was accumulating also got him the flu.

The Rangers 18-year-old rookie was a late scratch for the team’s awful 9-3 loss to the Lightning on Thursday night.

“He’s just battling the flu,” coach David Quinn said, after Kakko took warm-ups and then was deemed not good to go.

The No. 2-overall pick had been on fire, scoring twice in Tuesday night’s 3-2 win against the Penguins at the Garden, including the overtime winner. He had five goals in the past seven games, now with six tallies through the opening 16 games of his NHL career.