Get up for the Cup
Lundqvist: Best to take preseason seriously
There was a strange moment of déjà vu on Saturday night at Prudential Center, when a puck was loose in front of the south goal and Rangers netminder Henrik Lundqvist was sprawled out on the ice, leaving the net vulnerable. Adam Henrique came racing in for a stuffin, but the chance was thwarted and went wide.
Instantly, the memories of the spring of 2012 came flooding back, when Henrique scored on that same type of play, in that same net, winning Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals to send the Devils on to play for the Stanley Cup (where they would lose to the Kings).
Yet, this was so different. After this game — a 43 preseason win for the Rangers — Lundqvist was all smiles, laughing about how sloppy the play was, and how it was hard to get into the flow. Most importantly, the Blueshirts backbone was trying to figure out a way to channel his omnipresent competitive fire into a focus that differs from the regular season or postseason.
Because he knows the opportunity which lay before him and his Rangers come the season opener Oct. 7 in Chicago is one that carries high expectations, with success coming only in the form of the Stanley Cup.
“You try to tell yourself it matters, so you get into that mode that you will have in a couple weeks,” Lundqvist said after the game, his Rangers getting Sunday off before Monday’s penultimate preseason match, against the Flyers at the Garden.
“You need to be there now and be familiar with that feeling that every goal means a lot,” Lundqvist continued. “I think the most important thing is you work on your game and get comfortable. But also try to have the attitude that every save matters, because that’s how you really push yourself and improve your game.”
Lundqvist will turn 34 in March. Goalies might be able to be successful into their late30s, but this is the prime of The King’s career, and the Blueshirts want to take advantage of it.
Which means he needs to be sharp right from the start, something he has struggled with — especially in past two seasons under coach Alain Vigneault. The plan is for Lundqvist to play “at least one more” preseason game, according to the goaltender, and he and the team hope that will shake off any earlyseason malaise.
“A couple things here to work on,” Lundqvist said, “but you get more and more comfortable with each period.”
The game against the Devils was an odd one, with 16 total penalties and very few 5on5 chances. It was a different type of game than the first one Lundqvist played, Thursday in Boston, when evenstrength chances were traded with regularity.
“It’s good to get different types of games right now, so you’re practicing and keeping your focus in the right place,” Lundqvist said. “That’s the hard part, too, sometimes, when you don’t see a lot of action then you have a couple minutes when they pressure you. So that’s good for my game.”