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.500 Hockey: The New Norm
4 years ago
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Sunday, October 27, 2013
Saturday, October 26, 2013
Henrik Lundqvist Wants To Play On Monday
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DETROIT—Henrik Lundqvist wasn’t about to parse his words.
The Rangers franchise goaltender will not dress for his second straight game Saturday night against the Red Wings at Joe Louis Arena because of a mysterious injury. Yet as the Blueshirts’ season-opening nine-game road trip comes to an end, finally a home game against the Canadiens on Monday at the revamped Garden, there was hesitation from Lundqvist about his desire to be the one in net.
“It’s tough to be patient,” he said after the morning skate, what he called his first full practice in a week. “I’m not going hide it, I definitely want to play Monday. I want to be there and play in front of our fans. That’s my goal, but at the same time, you have to be smart about it. It’s a long season. We’ll see how I react to this. It was a good skate for me.”
It’s been ever tougher for Lundqvist to watch, as his team comes into this game at 2-6-0 and with the fewest goals (12) in the league. On Thursday in Philadelphia, 26-year-old rookie Cam Talbot got the first start of his career in a disappointing 2-1 loss.
“I know once Hank gets healthy I won’t be in there that often,” Talbot said. “So when I do get the chance, I want to make the best of it.”
Lundqvist is hoping that his team can put together a good game against the Red Wings (6-4-1), then get back to New York with a modicum of momentum.
“I think we all feel frustration right now, and not being able to be out there and help out just adds to it,” Lundqvist said. “But you have to stay positive. It’s been a test for us here, a tough start. But let’s try to get a game here tonight and then head back home and maybe we can turn a page coming back to New York. We start playing a few home games.
“We just have to turn everything into a positive thinking here. It’s been a long road trip for us. Come back home and play at the Garden on Monday is going to bring some life back to the group here.”
More life if he’s the one in nets.
http://nypost.com/2013/10/26/henrik-lundqvist-i-want-to-play-monday/
Friday, October 25, 2013
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Henrik Lundqvist Out Day-To-Day With Minor Issue
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New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist missed his second straight day of practice Tuesday. According to the team, he is dealing with a "minor issue." His status for Thursday's game in Philadelphia is questionable.
"I can't say 100-percent sure that [Lundqvist] is going to be good to go on Thursday, but I can't say 100-percent sure that he's not going to be there," Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said Tuesday "He's getting better. He's got something that he's been dealing with here for a little bit of time, and since we had four days in between games we figured it was the right time to try and nip this in the bud here."
That "minor" issue may be the reason Lundqvist has not seemed like himself lately. The 31-year-old former Vezina Trophy winner has struggled, along with the team. Most recently, he gave up four goals in the team's 4-0 loss to the Devils, a shutout defeat that sank the Rangers to 2-5-0 to start the season.
Lundqvist, who has been remarkably consistent and durable during his time in New York, is 2-4-0 with an .890 save percentage and 3.45 goals against average. And though his numbers leave a lot to be desired, any sort of injury that could prevent him playing could be devastating to the already injury-depleted team.
Save for the lockout-shortened season, when he made all but five starts, Lundqvist has played at least 62 games a year since 2006-07. He now has a new backup -- the recently-recalled Cam Talbot -- because of veteran Martin Biron's retirement.
Lundqvist is also in a contract year as his camp and the Rangers try to work out a multi-year extension, though talks have not yet yielded any progress.
http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/hockey/post/_/id/15085/lundqvist-out-with-minor-issue
http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=687931
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Monday, October 14, 2013
Sunday, October 13, 2013
Friday, October 11, 2013
Are These Henrik Lundqvist's Stadium Series Pads?
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I found this mysterious picture of Henrik's possible Stadium Series pads on Twitter. I say mysterious because I don't know where this picture was taken and I can't seem to find anything else online about these pads. Anyone out there have any information on these? I like them, but they seem to match the Rangers Winter Classic jersey. I heard the Rangers are supposed to be designing a new jersey for the Stadium Series. What do you all think?
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Monday, October 7, 2013
Henrik Lundqvist Doesn't Want to Speculate on His Contract Situation
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LOS ANGELES . NHL season is only a few days old and Henrik Lundqvist looks calm and peaceful out where he stands on the shore of the Pacific Ocean in Los Angeles, despite the 1-4 loss in the series premiere gone against Phoenix.
Now waiting for a busy period for our biggest star goalie in North America.
In an exclusive interview with SPORT-Expressen says Henke on :
* The tough contract negotiations with the New York Rangers .
* Nightmare schedule with nine consecutive away games.
* Preparations for the Sochi Olympics.
We have a lot to work on, he said after opening loss in Phoenix, where the Rangers were not linked properly with the home side's pace.
- It takes a little patience with the new coach and new game systems.
Controversial John Tortorella is exchanged for the timid Alain Vigneault , it was time for a new voice in the booth ?
- That's what they thought , anyway . Such is this businessen , it is possible to " Torts " had stalled last six months.
You had no problem with him?
- No, it was a fun experience to play for him. Our relationship was very good. I learned a lot about myself during his time at the club , he was challenging the leader.
Was he good for the Rangers ?
- Yes, he came in at a time when much needed controlled up . He imposed a harsher climate and it need not be negative.
What is the difference with Vigneault now?
- There is a different atmosphere. More dialogue. He has a different style , simply . Gameplay-wise, we'll try to be more aggressive . And play us out of situations in their own zone , instead of hitting the rim .
You had hoped to have a new contract with Rangers ready before start of series , what happens there?
- We 've been talking all summer, but did not come up with any solution yet. Now I have told both the club and my agent that I want to focus completely on the NHL season and not get involved in negotiations.
Does that mean that you play out this year and nothing happens until next summer ?
- I have no idea and do not want to speculate. I have a current contract this season, that's all I want to say.
You have nine straight away games during the series launch , how do you fix it ?
- Plus, we traveled a lot during the preseason . It is as it is because of the renovation of Madison Square Garden , so it is not so much to think about but just to drive on.
When you begin to think of the Sochi Olympics in February ?
- It may fester in the back of my mind for a while. Then you have to ask about when you sit on the plane there, so you will be well prepared.
Who do you guard the Canadian bag - Luongo , Crawford, Smith , Price or Holtby ?
- No idea . They are great whole bundle. All countries come to the Olympics with good goalkeepers.
But the United States (Quick , Anderson, Howard, Miller, Schneider ) and Finland ( Rask, Backstrom , Rinne ) is well better goalies ?
- Remember that it's a short tournament , so there is always someone goalkeeper who is hot and big plays for his country. Canada will not have a goalkeeper crisis.
Will it be you and Jhonas Enroth who becomes Tre Kronor goalkeeper saves , you think?
- Viktor Fasth was very good last season, so do not forget him. That I lie not , I must personally perform to take a seat.
How do you keep your motivation up from year to year ?
- My biggest motivation is to compete against myself. To push myself to be better. Competition is tough in the NHL , it's not just snap your fingers and expect to play well.
HENKE ABOUT ...
... Recently concluded Fashion Week in New York?
- I did not go to any shows, but visited some events related to fashion week .
Autumn ... in Manhattan ?
- I like autumn in New York. The weather is nice and it happens a lot of stuff in town. I had time for a few turns to the U.S. Open in tennis when I came over from Sweden and it is always a treat .
... Swedish rookie striker Jesper Fasth , who took place in the team ?
- Jesper is a smart and talented player who always makes good trade-offs on the ice. He has been really good.
http://www.expressen.se/sport/hockey/nhl/lundqvist-har-inte-hittat-nagon-losning/
Sunday, October 6, 2013
Henrik Lundqvist to do a Private Steiner Sports Autograph Signing
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Henrik will be doing a private autograph signing for Steiner Sports on 10/17/2013. You can either pre-order an item on the Steiner Sports website or send-in your own item to be signed. Hopefully now that Torts is gone, Henrik and the rest of the Rangers can do more autograph signings during the season. Torts was against the team doing appearances and signings during the season. I remember that in previous seasons Henrik and a few other Rangers had to cancel or postpone appearances because of that.
For contact information visit:
http://www.steinersports.com/upcoming-signings.html
Friday, October 4, 2013
Can Henrik Lundqvist become New York City's 'Dark Knight?'
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Yesterday I came across this article written for the University of Connecticut's school newspaper. It was just too good not to share.
By Ryan Tolmich
New York and Gotham City have always been synonymous.
The two sprawling metropolises are famous for their vast population, eye-opening skyscrapers and media appeal. They are seemingly the center of the world, as everyone dreams of making it big in the world’s biggest and brightest city.
However, when assessing the current New York Sports landscape, one has to associate it with the version of Gotham that is seen in Batman Begins.
In the movie, Gotham is depicted as a crime-ridden, desolate municipality where criminals run rampant as they rob citizens of their hard-earned money.
The outlook for New York sports is just as bleak. The Giants find themselves at 0-4, making Super Bowl victories and parades seem like a distant memory. The Yankees have been left out of the postseason party, as their roster appears to be older than Bruce Wayne’s noble butler Alfred. The Knicks are in fact the Knicks, as the re-hiring of Steve Mills as GM shows that the team isn’t far removed from the evil tyranny that was the Isiah Thomas era. And yes, there are crime lords robbing New York fans of their hard-earned money, as a certain Alex Rodriguez is still allowed to playbaseball.
But alas, the night is in fact darkest before the dawn, and things seem to be looking up for New York’s faithful. The New York Rangers, and hockey in general, are back and they couldn’t have come at a better time.
In the role of Bruce Wayne, we have Henrik Lundqvist whose good looks, smooth talking and sharp dressing make him a shoe-in for the billionaire playboy. By day, a mesmerizing icon, but by night, Lundqvist dons his goalie mask and becomes something more: a symbol of New York hope. Lundqvist is the hero New York deserves, as well as the one it needs right now.
For Commissioner Gordon, there’s Alain Vigneault, New York’s new head coach in charge of ridding the city of the stink left by the previous regime. Vigneault will be tasked with putting together an attack strong enough to take down anything that can get in the way of good-old-fashioned New York justice.
But in all seriousness, what fun would Batman, and life, be without villains? Luckily, the Rangers have their fair share of rivals to make things interesting.
The Joker will be played by New Jersey Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur, who has been a thorn in the Rangers side for years. Brodeur, who debuted in 1991, has been on a constant quest to put down his metropolitan neighbors, and he has succeeded at for the most part. However, Brodeur’s retirement is imminent, meaning that unlike Batman and the Joker, this is a rivalry that isn’t destined to go on forever.
For Two-Face, there is John Tortorella, the former Ranger head coach who was unceremoniously booted to Vancouver after five successful years in New York. Like Two-Face, Tortorella snapped, as his constant expletive-laced rants left fans and players miserable. Unfortunately for Torts, he lived long enough to see himself become a New York villain.
Finally, for Bane, there is Alexander Ovechkin, the Washington Capitals star who has everything it takes to be a threat. He has the brains, the brawn and the hockey sense to do anything he could dream of on the ice. He was even responsible for breaking the backs of the Rangers numerous times in recent postseasons. However, Ovechkin will have to elevate his effort level, and his back-checking, if he ever wants to avoid being adopted by the darkness of disappointment.
New York has a chance to rise out of the shadows with a mighty Lundqvist symbol illuminating the Manhattan skyline. The Islanders will be looking to escape the role of Robin, as they look to John Tavares to be their hero. The Bruins will have to fight on much like Batman did after losing his damsel, Rachel, as the heartthrob formerly known as Tyler Seguin now calls Dallas home. Gary Bettman can be everyone’s mutual villain, because the evil commissioner fits Alfred’s idea that some people just want to watch hockey burn. Hell, there’s even a team called the Penguins, so let’s keep the Batman stuff going.
With that being said, hockey season is finally upon us. The only team sport that actually allows you to punch someone in the face is finally underway. The quest for Lord Stanley’s Cup is here, and it couldn’t have come at a better time.
And despite Batman’s claims, yes, heroes do wear hockey pads.
http://www.dailycampus.com/column-can-henrik-lundqvist-become-new-york-city-s-dark-knight-1.3071424#.Uk0KahbIbuN
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