NEW YORK _ Henrik Lundqvist's frustration level has been getting higher and higher with every loss, and it was really high for the Rangers icon after Monday's loss to the Devils in New Jersey left him winless in his last five starts. He entered Wednesday's game against the Ottawa Senators at the Garden stuck on 449 career victories, good for sixth-best all time.
After the Devils game, Lundqvist had spoken about how he understood the Rangers' need to play their other goalie, Alexandar Georgiev, and he went on and on about how Georgiev was playing so well that he deserved all the ice time he has been commanding. Still, Lundqvist admitted, it has been quite an adjustment for him to have to try and keep his mental focus and maintain his sharpness with his playing time being so irregular.
Given a second straight start Wednesday night, Lundqvist allowed two power-play goals and a short-handed goal and the Rangers ended up dropping a 4-1 decision to the Senators, who have the worst record in the NHL.
And for Lundqvist, who made 27 saves, there is no assurance that once this season is over, things will go back to the way they used to be, with him starting in goal for 75 percent of the Rangers' games. Not according to Rangers coach David Quinn, anyway.
"I think, throughout people's careers, they have to adapt and make adjustments to their games," Quinn said at the morning skate Wednesday. "And he's no different than a defenseman or a forward. Some forwards are put in top-6 roles throughout their career, and all of a sudden, they're on the third or fourth line and they have to adapt. And then maybe they get a chance to get back on the top two lines. Same thing with a defenseman. That position's no different. I think every player, no matter what stage they are in their career, they have to have an adaptability to their game, or they're going to have a hard time."
Lundqvist (18-23-10) holds the NHL record with 13 consecutive seasons of at least 20 wins. But he remains two win shy of keeping that streak alive, and the Rangers have just two games left, Friday at home vs. Columbus and Saturday in Pittsburgh against the Penguins. Bobby Ryan and Brady Tkachuk scored power-play goals (Tkachuk's was a five-on-three goal) and Zack Smith scored shorthanded as the Senators built a 3-0 lead. Lias Andersson's short-handed goal got the Rangers on the board, but Brian Gibbons scored with 5:02 left in regulation to remove any doubt for Ottawa.
Lundqvist has been the Rangers' No. 1 goaltender _ and best player _ for 14 seasons. But the 23-year-old Georgiev (13-13-3, 2.95 GAA, .912) has shown much promise, and Igor Shestyorkin, the Russian who is also 23 and in the final year of his KHL contract, appears set to come to North America next season. What that means for Lundqvist, whose 3.05 goals-against average and .908 save percentage were the worst of his career, is unknown.
