It was bad enough when the New York Rangers lost captain and steady defenseman Ryan McDonagh to an injury prior to the NHL playoffs, but losing All-World goalie "King" Henrik Lundqvist in game one of their first-round Eastern Conference series against the red-hot Pittsburgh Penguins may be the straw that cripples the camel. Or the Rangers playoff hopes.
But don't fret yet Rangers fans. Alain Vigneault updated Lundqvist's status for game two of the Rangers-Penguins series, which the Penguins lead 1-0, on Thursday afternoon and did his best to downplay King Henrik's injury.
"He's been checked by our doctors, but at this time we don't feel that it's anything too serious," Vigneault said. "There's a little bit of swelling near the (right) eye and we'll have more news tomorrow."
Of course, the fact that the Rangers also recalled goaltender Magnus Hellberg from the Rangers' AHL affiliate in Hartford will probably give plenty of Broadway Blueshirt fans pause.
Again though, Vigneault did his best to downplay the move.
Per Vigneault, Hellberg, who has appeared in just two NHL games in his career, was recalled "in case we get some bad news, but at this time we don't feel that way, and it's just a matter of where the injury is and being on the safe side."
Lundqvist, of course, started the Rangers' Wednesday night game against Pittsburgh, but was poked in the eye through his mask by teammate Marc Staal. Lundqvist went down and stayed down for some time, but managed to return for the final minute of the period in a decision that has been widely questioned, though Vigneault said that Lundqvist was adamant he remain in the game through the end of the period.
"At that stage, we were putting him in a very tough spot, he doesn't want to put his backup in with a minute to go in the period, so he's convincing himself he's all right," Vigneault said. "I'm not saying that had anything to do with the goal. But when he came in (to the locker room) he had a tough time seeing. It was a medical staff (decision) with the information he was giving them at that time."
Lundqvist will be evaluated again Thursday night and if he's unable to practice on Friday, won't play on Saturday.
Vigneault also told reports that McDonagh, though he's making progress, remains out for game two.
