ANGRY KING
Lundqvist remains frustrated after tough loss against Montreal over weekend
HENRIK Lundqvist was understandably frustrated and disappointed with himself after Saturday’s 5-4 loss, three goals allowed in 62 seconds in the third period turning the game on its head. It was most noticeable when he was asked if he saw Alexei Emelin’s 68-footer, which snuck by him with a screen in front, the Montreal goal that tied the game 3-3 and sparked the three-goal barrage.
“Did it look like I (saw) it? No. No, I didn’t see it. So that’s that,” said Lundqvist, who didn’t start but entered to begin the second period after Antti Raanta left with a lower-body injury.
Lundqvist, who has a 4.10 goals-against average and .861 save percentage in five appearances this month, knows he needs to come up with more saves. But the players in front of him cannot continue to leave him in vulnerable positions as they did Saturday in Montreal, and it began before those deflating 62 seconds.
Just 3:08 into the second, Alex Galchenyuk tipped a shot in from the slot, where he was all alone while Ryan McDonagh drifted above the right circle. When Brian Flynn tied the game 2-2 at 7:58 of the second, he and Alexander Radulov were both completely wide open at the crease.
“We’ve got to try to do better for (Lundqvist,)” McDonagh said. “I’m not sure he could do much on any of the goals he gave up. It’s on us — deflections, guys alone in front. We’ve got to get back to taking care of the front of the net.”
Emelin’s goal came four seconds after a Montreal offensivezone faceoff win with Flynn screening. Max Pacioretty beat Lundqvist five-hole on a breakaway and Paul Byron’s goal was deflected off Adam Clendening.
“We kind of lost our defensive play there,” McDonagh said. “They capitalize in a quick few minutes, and it’s unfortunate we let a lead like that slip away. I think it was going pretty good the first half of that third, and for whatever reason they took advantage of the looks that we gave them. I wasn’t sure we were giving them any looks in that first half. Just lost our structure and gave them a little room to make plays, and they made them.”
The Rangers were off Sunday and will practice Monday ahead of Tuesday’s home match against the Stars, which will have an extra spotlight on it after Cody Eakin’s high, dirty hit on Lundqvist in Dallas last month.
Lundqvist returned that night after missing 5:31 and had one of his best games of the year, making 27 saves in the Rangers’ 2-0 win in what was Lundqvist’s first start after being a healthy backup for four straight games.
WAIVE GOODBYE: The Rangers placed Marek Hrivik on waivers Sunday. He was a healthy scratch the last two games after playing 16 straight, and the move comes with Mika Zibanejad’s return from a broken left fibula imminent.