Lundqvist pulled for 3rd period

The old-time smiles and exuberance lasted through Super Bowl Sunday, but that was it.

Because after Henrik Lundqvist collected his first shutout since 2017 on Saturday in Detroit, he lasted just 40 minutes before being pulled en route to his Rangers’ 5-2 loss to the Stars on Monday night at the Garden.

Lundqvist allowed four goals on 15 shots before being replaced by Alex Georgiev to start the third period, the Rangers down, 4-2.

“It was a tough game to play, that’s for sure,” Lundqvist said.

The Rangers are working within the three-goalie system that is not ideal for any of them, and coach David Quinn made it clear that part of the equation is the “human element.” With regards to Lundqvist, that means there is respect for what he has done in his career without losing sight of the way he is currently playing.

“You don’t treat every player the same. What you do is you treat every player fairly,” Quinn said. “When you’re 37 years old, and you’ve had the career Hank has had — and you’re still the goalie he is — there is a lot that goes into these decisions and the conversations you have.”

Georgiev gave up one goal on six shots, while Igor Shesterkin was a healthy scratch.

➤ Chris Kreider did not play after he took the morning skate and was deemed a game-time decision. The winger took a knee to the head from teammate Mika Zibanejad on Saturday and did not return to that game, Quinn saying it wasn’t a concussion but just an upper-body injury.

According to the coach, Kreider was “hemming and hawing” to play, but was held out.

➤ Quinn threw the lines into the blender for the third period, but Pavel Buchnevich was mostly on the bench, getting just two shifts in the final period and none over the 10:02.

“I didn’t like his game at all,” Quinn said. “I didn’t like a lot of his game, at all.”

➤ Forward Phillip Di Giuseppe made his Rangers debut, starting in Kreider’s place on the top line with Zibanejad and Buchnevich. The 26-year-old winger, just called up from AHL Hartford, finished with four shots on goal in six attempts over 12:32 of ice time.