Rangers exhale after Henrik's hit in neck by slap shot
Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist makes a save during Monday's win over the Chicago Blackhawks. (Nov. 1, 2010) Credit: Christopher Pasatieri
GREENBURGH, N.Y. - When the Rangers visit Philadelphia Thursday night for the first time since they were eliminated from the playoff chase in a season-ending shootout, some shards of memory undoubtedly will rise again.
"Probably when we're there for the morning skate," Erik Christensen said Wednesday. "Then it'll be time to forget and look ahead to the game. As an athlete, you have no choice. I had thought about it all summer, watching the Flyers going to the finals, how it could have been us."
Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist (4-1-0, 1.82 GAA, .949 save percentage in his last five starts) played in all six games against the Flyers last season, and likely will Thursday night, although those plans could be derailed after he took a rising slap shot from Brian Boyle in the neck during practice.
The shot from the left circle caught Lundqvist on the right side, between the mask and throat pad, and he dropped to the ice, flinging his stick, clutching his throat and gasping. He stood shakily, and raced to the trainer's room. An ashen Boyle followed. "I'm fine," said Lundqvist, who turned slightly before the shot struck him. "I was having trouble breathing for a few minutes. [It was] more pain than shock. I was dizzy because the air couldn't get to my head . . . now it's stiff," he said. "In a few hours, I'll stretch it out."
Coach John Tortorella stopped short of declaring Lundqvist as the starter Thursday night, but said he was OK. With three games in four nights coming up, Lundqvist was probably going to have one game off anyway, with Martin Biron getting his third start of the season either in Philadelphia, Newark Friday or at the Garden against St. Louis on Sunday.
Boyle was feeling the aftereffects as well. "He [Lundqvist] said, 'I'm all right, go back out,' " Boyle said. "I didn't want to practice anymore. I had been feeling good about my shooting. It didn't go where I wanted to put it . . . I didn't know what to do. He's fine, thank goodness. I'll be all right, too - soon."
Notes & quotes: The Rangers (6-4-1) lost two of three games in Philadelphia last season, and scored just three goals. The Flyers (7-4-1, 5-3 at home) have won four in a row . . . Ryan Callahan, who received several stitches above his right ankle after blocking a shot on Monday against Chicago, will dress . . . Derek Boogaard is likely to play.
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