Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Henrik Lundqvist Post-Game Video Interview + Notes






Henrik Lundqvist made 36 saves, including 15 in the first period, to earn his 11th win of the 2015 Playoffs and his 54th career NHL playoff win. Lundqvist has posted a 15-3 record, along with a 1.47 GAA, a .954 SV%, and 2 SO in his last 18 games when the Rangers have faced elimination since the start of the 2012 Playoffs. Since the start of the 2014 Playoffs, Lundqvist has registered a 9-1 record, along with a 1.46 GAA and a .957 SV% when the Rangers have faced elimination. In 2015, he has posted a 4-0 record, along with a 1.84 GAA and a .946 SV% when the Blueshirts have faced elimination. Lundqvist has also registered a 7-0 record, along with a 1.39 GAA, a .958 SV%, and 1 SO in his last seven appearances which have been Game 6 or Game 7 of a playoff series.


Saturday, May 23, 2015

Henrik Lundqvist Post-Game Video Interviews + Notes and Photos













Henrik Lundqvist made 38 saves in the contest, including 31 in the final two periods, to earn his 10th win of the 2015 Playoffs and his 53rd career NHL playoff win. The Rangers’ all-time wins and appearances leader in postseason action is the only goaltender in franchise history who has won 10 or more playoff games in one year three times (including two consecutive years), and he is also one of only three goaltenders in franchise history who has done so at least once (John Davidson – 1979; Mike Richter – 1994). Lundqvist is the only NHL goaltender who has won at least 10 playoff games in three separate years since his first year in the NHL in 2005-06. Since the start of the 2012 Playoffs, Lundqvist has posted a 20-12 record, along with a 1.87 GAA, a .935 SV%, and 4 SO in 32 playoff games following a Rangers loss. In the Rangers’ 23 playoff wins since the start of the 2014 Playoffs, Lundqvist has posted a 1.22 GAA, a .959 SV% (678 saves on 707 shots), and 1 SO. He has allowed 29 goals in those 23 contests, and he has allowed one goal or fewer in 17 of the 23 wins.



Saturday, May 16, 2015

Full Henrik Lundqvist Post-Game Video Interviews + Notes and Photos









 Henrik Lundqvist made 23 saves to earn his fourth consecutive win and his ninth win of the 2015 Playoffs. Lundqvist has posted a 1.38 GAA and a .955 SV% (128 saves on 134 shots) over the span, and has allowed one goal in three of the four contests. In seven career Game 1s at MSG, he has registered a 6-1 record, along with a 1.14 GAA and a .951 SV%. Since the start of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals in 2009 against Washington, Lundqvist has posted a 9-5 record, along with a 1.77 GAA, a .937 SV%, and 1 SO. He has allowed two goals or fewer in regulation in each of the last eight Game 1s of a playoff series. Lundqvist leads the NHL in wins (nine), and ranks second in GAA (1.56) and SV% (.945) in the playoffs this year. Among goaltenders whose teams were not eliminated after the First Round, Lundqvist ranks first in GAA and SV% in the 2015 Playoffs. In the Rangers’ 22 playoff wins since the start of the 2014 Playoffs, he has posted a 1.23 GAA, a .958 SV% (640 saves on 668 shots), and 1 SO. He has allowed 28 goals in the 22 victories over the span.

Friday, May 15, 2015

Why Henrik Lundqvist is the Greatest Game 7 Goaltender in History




By Jared Clinton



The question has been posed many times before: if you had to play one game and you had to pick any goaltender in the history of the league, who would you pick? The answers usually range from the greats of the past to the modern-day heroes, with most settling on the names Martin Brodeur, Patrick Roy or Dominik Hasek. Really, though, the answer should be Henrik Lundqvist.

After Wednesday night’s victory over the Washington Capitals, Lundqvist now has a career Game 7 record of 6-1 to go along with remarkable stats in those games. In Game 7s, Lundqvist’s goals-against average is 0.97 and save percentage is .962. That’s not to mention he has one shutout and has only allowed more than one goal against in a Game 7 once, and that was his only loss. Compared to the greats, Lundqvist is the most clutch Game 7 goaltender of all-time.

When it comes to breaking down who the top dogs are in the one-game, do-or-die scenarios, you need look no further than those numbers. Lundqvist is so far ahead of the other legendary netminders in NHL history that it’s almost not even a competition.
In their careers, Brodeur, Roy and Hasek played a combined 25 Game 7s. They posted a record of 13-12, allowed 52 goals against and there have been multiple games where the three legendary netminders allowed more than three goals against in the seventh game of a series. While no one will argue their body of work in the regular season or the fact that all three have Stanley Cup rings, when it comes to Game 7s, ‘King Henrik’ reigns supreme.
Looking at each goaltender specifically, you get an even better picture of how great Lundqvist’s Game 7 performances have been.

Over the course of his career, Brodeur played in 10 Game 7s. The first of his career, he made 17 stops in a victory over the Buffalo Sabres in 1993-94, but lost the next two before finally winning another in 1999-00. By the end of his career, he had a record of 6-4 in Game 7s and his stat line is impressive – .926 SP and 1.87 GAA – but not as much so as Lundqvist’s. And, for what it’s worth, Brodeur’s stats always have to be looked at with the era and Devils’ style of play in mind.

As for Roy, he began his career with one of the most storied runs by a rookie goaltender in NHL history. His play with the 1985-86 Canadiens in the post-season was remarkable – enough so to earn him the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. He earned his first Game 7 victory that post-season, helping Montreal roll by the Hartford Whalers in the second round. Near the end of his career, from 2000-01 to 2001-02, Roy would help the Colorado Avalanche rattle off four straight Game 7 victories, but he would finish his career with a 6-6 record in seventh games.

His stat line is a bit more bloated than Lundqvist’s, however. His final Game 7 stat line* of 2.26 GAA and a .915 SP doesn’t look much like what you would expect of Roy, but it’s greatly inflated by the six goals on 16 shots he allowed in 26:28 of work against the Detroit Red Wings in Game 7 of the Western Conference final in 2001-02.

Of all four goaltenders, no one played fewer Game 7s than Hasek, yet even the ‘Dominator’ doesn’t boast a great record in seventh games. He suited up for just three – the first in 1993-94 and last in 2001-02 – but came out on the winning side just once, his third Game 7, in which he posted a 19-save shutout against the Colorado Avalanche. His final Game 7 stat line is 1-2, 1.55 GAA and a .946 SP. Good, but not Lundqvist good.

There’s more to it than simply being better than the greats in Game 7s, but Lundqvist will now go down as the first goaltender to ever win six consecutive Game 7s and one of three to win six total (the others being Brodeur and Roy). There’s also the eerie distinction that Lundqvist owns May 13. On May 13 of 2013, 2014 and 2015, Lundqvist posted Game 7 victories, allowing one goal against and making 35 saves in the respective wins over Washington, Pittsburgh and Washington, again.
The debate about which goaltender to take in a one-off scenario will never end, but if Lundqvist’s name hasn’t already made its way into the mix, there’s no doubt it should be there now.






http://www.thehockeynews.com/blog/why-henrik-lundqvist-is-the-greatest-game-7-goaltender-in-history/


Thursday, May 14, 2015

Henrik Lundqvist Post-Game Video Interviews + Notes and Photos












Henrik Lundqvist made 35 saves to earn his eighth win of the playoffs and his 51st career NHL playoff win. Lundqvist earned his sixth career win in a Game 7, tying Martin Brodeur and Patrick Roy for the most Game 7 victories in NHL history. He also earned his sixth consecutive win in a Game 7 appearance, extending his NHL record. He has posted a 6-0 record, along with a 0.81 GAA, a .973 SV% (179 saves on 184 shots), and 1 SO in his last six Game 7s, and he has allowed one goal or fewer in all six games. In his last 10 games in which the Rangers have faced elimination at MSG, Lundqvist has posted a 10-0 record, along with a 0.96 GAA, a .968 SV% (306 saves on 316 shots), and 2 SO. In the last 17 games in which the Rangers have faced elimination, he has registered a 14-3 record, along with a 1.39 GAA, a .956 SV%, and 2 SO. He is tied for the NHL lead in wins (eight), ranks second in GAA (1.60), and is tied for second in the NHL in SV% (.944) in the 2015 Playoffs.








Henrik Lundqvist Post-Game Video Interview + Notes and Photos






Henrik Lundqvist made 42 saves in the contest, including 17 in each of the first two periods, to earn his seventh win of the 2015 Playoffs and his 50th career NHL playoff win. Lundqvist’s 42 saves are the most he has made in one playoff game which ended in regulation in his career. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Lundqvist’s 42 saves are tied for the third-most a Rangers goaltender has registered in a playoff game which ended in regulation since the NHL expanded in 1967-68. He has posted a 13-3 record, along with a 1.42 GAA, a .955 SV%, and 2 SO in the last 16 games in which the Blueshirts have faced elimination. Since the start of last year’s playoffs, he has posted a 7-1 record, along with a 1.37 GAA and a .960 SV% (286 saves on 298 shots) when the Rangers have faced elimination. By earning a win in tonight’s contest, Lundqvist became the 18th goaltender in NHL history to register 50 career playoff wins.






Saturday, May 9, 2015

Henrik Lundqvist Post-Game Video Interviews + Notes








Henrik Lundqvist made 28 saves to earn his sixth win of the 2015 Playoffs and his 49th career NHL playoff win. In his last nine games in which the Rangers have faced elimination at MSG, Lundqvist has posted a 9-0 record, along with a 0.97 GAA, a .968 SV%, and 2 SO. He has also posted a 12-3 record, along with a 1.33 GAA, a .957 SV%, and 2 SO in the last 15 games in which the Blueshirts have faced elimination. Lundqvist has allowed two goals or fewer in eight consecutive playoff games, establishing a franchise record for Rangers goaltenders in one playoff year. Since the start of the 2012 Playoffs, Lundqvist has posted a 19-11 record, along with a 1.77 GAA, .937 SV%, and 4 SO in 30 playoff games which have followed a Rangers loss. Lundqvist is now tied with Hall of Famer Glenn Hall for 18th place on the NHL’s all-time playoff wins list. He also moved into sole possession of eighth place in career playoff appearances with one franchise, passing Turk Broda and Tom Barrasso.


Henrik Lundqvist Post-Game Video Interviews + Notes and Photos






Henrik Lundqvist made 30 saves in the contest to earn his fifth win of the playoffs and his 48th career NHL playoff win. With the victory, Lundqvist moved into sole possession of 19th place on the NHL’s all-time playoff wins list, passing Ron Hextall. The Rangers’ all-time leader in playoff appearances also appeared in his 99th career NHL playoff game, including his 98th consecutive game, tying Tony Esposito for 17th place on the NHL’s all-time playoff appearances list. Lundqvist’s 99 career playoff appearances with the Rangers are also tied with Esposito for the 10th most one goaltender has earned with one franchise in NHL history. Since the start of the 2012 Playoffs, Lundqvist has posted an 18-10 record, along with a 1.79 GAA, a .936 SV%, and 4 SO in 28 playoff games following a Rangers loss. He is tied for the NHL lead in wins (five), ranks second in GAA (1.67), and ranks fourth in SV% (.938) in the 2015 Playoffs. He has earned a win in 10 of his last 13 regular season and playoff games, posting a 1.81 GAA and a .936 SV% over the span.



Henrik Lundqvist is an NHL Foundation Player Award Finalist




NEW YORK -- Defenseman Brent Burns of the San Jose Sharks, defenseman Mark Giordano of the Calgary Flames and goaltender Henrik Lundqvist of the New York Rangers are the three finalists for the 2014-15 NHL Foundation Player Award, which is presented to "an NHL player who applies the core values of hockey -- commitment, perseverance and teamwork -- to enrich the lives of people in his community," the National Hockey League announced today.

NHL clubs submitted nominations for the NHL Foundation Player Award and the finalists were selected by a judging panel. The NHL Foundation will present $25,000 to the chosen charitable organization of this year's recipient. The winner will be announced Wednesday, June 24, during the 2015 NHL Awards from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers

Lundqvist's on-ice performance has only been matched by his passion for helping those in need. His efforts have included generating awareness, raising funds and increasing the impact of 28 nonprofit charities he supports through a pair of organizations -- the Henrik Lundqvist Foundation and the Garden of Dreams Foundation, the latter of which he has served as a spokesman for since 2009. Lundqvist also has dedicated time and raised funds for various other causes, including fighting hunger, curing pediatric cancers, improving access to quality education, and aiding children and families in need.


http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=766094&navid=DL%7CNHL%7Chome