Henrik Lundqvist ready to ‘take on challenge’ of playoff push

GREENBURGH, N.Y. — Understatement of the day: Having appeared in 42 of 50 games so far, Henrik Lundqvist will be a principal factor in whether the Rangers grab a playoff berth for the eighth straight season.

“I look forward to just go out and play a lot of hockey and take on this challenge,” he said Wednesday after his first practice since his All-Star appearance in Tampa. “To be consistent, you can’t think too much about being good five or six games in a row, you just focus on one game against Toronto [Thursday]. So far we’ve played two games against them and they used their speed and transition game to hurt us a bit.”

Those ended in an 8-5 loss at Air Canada Centre in the second game of the season and a 3-2 loss at the Garden on Dec. 23rd. The Maple Leafs host the Islanders on Wednesday.

Lundqvist, who had a rare off night in his last start (he allowed three goals on seven shots before being pulled in a 6-3 loss in Anaheim on Jan. 23), said he worked as hard as he could Wednesday to prepare for the game against the Leafs.

As much as Lundqvist wants to lead the Rangers (25-20-5) to the postseason, there remains one regret that will re-surface when the Winter Olympics begin this month in South Korea without NHL players, a decision made by the league’s owners.

“At least one Lundqvist will be going, that’s nice, it’s the wrong number though,” said Lundqvist, referring to twin brother Joel, a forward who will represent Sweden. “It’s something you’ve been going over in your head a long time, but now your focus is here. I look forward to seeing my brother play [on TV]. We’ll see how it feels to not be there.

“I’ve been there three times [Lundqvist and Sweden won a gold medal in 2006 in Turin, didn’t medal in 2010 in Vancouver and earned silver in Sochi in 2014] and every time you go it’s an experience for life, I remember all three destinations and what it meant, and the whole experience. It feels like they’ve taken it away from you.’’

Instead, Lundqvist, who keeps tabs on Joel’s games in Sweden, will try to catch as many Olympic matches as possible, while the Rangers travel. Nineteen of their last 31 games are away from home.

Notes & quotes: Chris Kreider, who underwent a rib resection after a blood clot was found in his right arm, will miss his 14th game, and Kevin Shattenkirk, with a meniscus tear in his left knee, will miss his fifth, but their rehabs are progressing. Kreider has begun some light skating alone, and Shattenkirk, on crutches, has started upper-body conditioning, coach Alain Vigneault said . . . The lineup — except for Cody McLeod, who will make his Rangers debut and draw in for Paul Carey — will be same as in the last game, a 6-5 win in San Jose. Rick Nash-Mika Zibanejad-Pavel Buchnevich; J.T. Miller-Kevin Hayes-Mats Zuccarello; Michael Grabner-Peter Holland-Jesper Fast; Jimmy Vesey-David Desharnais-McLeod; Ryan McDonagh-Nick Holden, Brady Skjei-Marc Staal; Brendan Smith-Tony DeAngelo.