Nardiello turned down an offer to stay at Barnsley last summer in favour of a move to Loftus Road, but was sent out on loan when De Canio took over from John Gregory.
Nardiello can stay at Oakwell until the end of the season but was refused permission to play against Rangers.
The striker, who has scored one since his return to Barnsley, would have been odds on to finish two glorious chances before half-time.
Instead his replacement, Hungarian Istvan Ferenczi, made two hopeless gaffes to waste the opportunities before he was subbed on the hour.
With an open goal beckoning after just five minutes, he dithered and Matthew Connolly slid in after keeper Lee Camp dropped the ball.
And after 30 minutes, skipper Brian Howard produced a super pass and Jamal Campbell-Ryce drove in a cross, but Ferenczi headed wide from four yards.
A clever short pass from Howard put Jon Macken through but his shot was blocked and Ferenczi tried his luck from 20 yards but hoisted the shot over.
Rangers had Connolly to thank again when a Howard corner was curled in by the wind to beat Camp, but the defender headed off the line.
Quick breaks from Rangers forced Barnsley to graft to protect their impressive home record when a Mikele Leigertwood shot was blocked.
Angelo Balanta almost wriggled through to open up the home defence but was squeezed out by Dennis Souza.
Balanta came close again early in the second half when he skipped around keeper Luke Steele, but Lewin Nyatanga managed to clear off the line.
And when Martin Rowlands drilled a dangerous ball across the face of the goal, Fitz Hall stretched but was just short of scoring.
Rangers keeper Camp did well when Campbell-Ryce found a gap and let fly with a difficult low shot and he also tipped over a Diego Leon free-kick.