Going into Wednesday’s game against the Ottawa Senators, New York Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist only needed four saves to reach the mark of 20,000 for his illustrious career. Well, early in the first period, dreams became a reality as Lundqvist became just the fifteenth goalie in NHL history to achieve this milestone. Despite that, the Rangers had a tough go and fell 3-2.
The Rangers were down 1-0 after the first period on a goal by Bobby Ryan. Michael Grabner later tied the game for the Blueshirts in the second, but Cody Ceci broke that tie a few minutes later. Just eight seconds into the third, Ottawa pushed their lead to 3-1. Pavel Buchnevich inched the Rangers close by making it 3-2, but that was it as New York fell.
Captain Ryan McDonagh told reporters the team needs more consistency in their play. He also said, “Have to stay mentally sharp and be prepared. We had a lot of shots, but their style doesn’t allow you to get to the inside a lot.”
Forward J.T. Miller also said, “Tonight was different from a couple nights ago. We know how they (Ottawa) plays in their zone. They played really well structurally.”
Despite the outcome, Henrik Lundqvist wasn’t the only Ranger with a milestone. With his assist on Pavel Buchnevich’s goal, forward Chris Kreider now has two hundred points in his NHL career. The team is now looking to snap their two-game losing streak, but the next two days will be no easy task. The Rangers take on the Los Angeles Kings at the Garden on Friday evening and head to Boston on Saturday to tackle the Bruins.
Congratulations to Henrik Lundqvist on an incredible milestone, and with his impressive resume, you know he is a Hockey Hall of Famer one day!
