Season could hinge on Lundqvist's neck
FILE - Henrik Lundqvist #30 of the New York Rangers looks on during the game against the Philadelphia Flyers. (March 6, 2011) Credit: Getty Images
After Friday night's 6-3 win over the Canadiens, Henrik Lundqvist needed a bit more time than usual to come out and address reporters.
It was close to an hour, most of which Lundqvist spent on a trainer's table while getting his sore neck manipulated and adjusted.
It was a long enough time to be reminded just how much rests on Lundqvist's shoulders as the Rangers steam toward a playoff berth.
Lundqvist got his 30th win Friday night, extending his NHL record with at least 30 wins in his first six seasons. It wasn't the most taxing of his games, given that the Rangers had a 5-1 lead after a period, but he still has been the star of this latest Rangers run, with a 5-1-0 record helping them stay ahead of the chasing pack at the low end of the Eastern Conference playoff race.
After a few months of losing one key forward after another and gutting and grinding out wins -- almost all of them with Lundqvist providing the margin in a shootout or in regulation -- the Rangers are almost at full health at this crucial time of the season. That has allowed them to jump on some opponents recently, including a gassed-looking Canadiens team that was coming off a shootout win in Montreal the night before.
"It's a competition now, and you've got to bring your best every night," Brandon Dubinsky said. "Torts is the type of coach, he doesn't care who you are, you have to perform to play. And we're excited by that."
There wouldn't be much excitement about the season if Lundqvist were the one who got hurt. He said he's got to see how he feels Saturday to determine whether he can play Sunday in Pittsburgh; if he's well enough, he'll get every last one of the 10 remaining games. He already has played 16 straight.
"It's going to be stiff for a few days for sure," Lundqvist said of his neck, which took the brunt of Benoit Pouliot's body late in the third. "It's a question if I can turn my head enough to play on Sunday."
The Rangers have been able to make up for lengthy absences by Dubinsky, by Ryan Callahan, by Marian Gaborik. They are not a top-heavy team up front. But in goal, there is no one to make up for Lundqvist's absence.
Martin Biron was able to take some of the load early from Lundqvist, and that has proven to be a huge factor now, with Biron out with a broken collarbone since Feb. 28. Biron told Newsday Friday night that he's at least three weeks away from getting his left arm out of a sling; the Rangers would need to win at least one playoff round to even have a shot at getting Biron back in uniform to back up Lundqvist.
Chad Johnson has been sitting on the Rangers' bench, but coach John Tortorella has shown no inclination to use him. Even playing the final 10 games, Lundqvist would finish with 68 games, his fewest since his rookie season of 2005-06.
The Rangers will need Lundqvist for every one of those, sore neck or no. If Lundqvist can't play Sunday, Johnson will play for the first time since Jan. 31, 2010. It's an awfully big game to be forced to turn to a rookie, especially one Tortorella has no interest in using.
As the coach said of Lundqvist after Biron went down: "It's his show."
If Lundqvist's neck doesn't heal fast, this show's over.
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