Lundqvist will use All-Star break to recharge battery
Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist looks on against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the second period at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 1, 2014. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
Henrik Lundqvist is looking forward to enjoying his first true midseason break in some time. No Olympics, no All-Star Game. Just a chance to rest, relax and rejuvenate before the second half of what the Rangers goalie hopes will be a very long season.
But first . . . the Ottawa Senators Tuesday night at the Garden. Lundqvist is expected to play despite a sore right hand suffered in Sunday's 5-2 win in Pittsburgh.
"It's a little sore, but it's fine," Lundqvist said after practice Monday. "It should be good [Tuesday night]."
Lundqvist had his fingers jammed in the third period by David Perron's skate. He stayed in the game and made 31 saves as the Rangers won their second road contest in a row after shutout losses to the Isles and Bruins.
The Rangers have won 15 of their last 18.
"I think it was a good test for us," Lundqvist said. "When you have a good streak and then you lose a couple, it's important that you come back to basics and don't overthink it. I think the win in Columbus [on Friday] was big for us to get back on track and then to be in Pittsburgh was another good test for us.
"We have one more to go before the break and I think we have to put everything we have here to try to get that win and then take a few days to really reload and mentally and physically recharge."
That Lundqvist did not make the All-Star team for Sunday's game in Columbus is a bit of a head-scratcher, but the Rangers aren't all that broken up about the much-needed rest.
"It's been a while," Lundqvist said. "I think my second year, I had a break. I didn't make the All-Star team. But all the other years, it's been Olympics or All-Star Games. We're going to take this as a good opportunity for me to rest physically and mentally and come back really excited to play."
Glass not full. Tanner Glass, who missed Sunday's game with an upper-body injury, will sit Tuesday night. "I thought Tanner would be better today," Alain Vigneault said. "He's just a little bit better, so he won't be able to play."
Anthony Rieber covers baseball, as well as the NFL, NBA and NHL. He has worked at Newsday since Aug. 31, 1998, and has been in his current position since July 5, 2004.
