Henrik Lundqvist returned to the lineup Monday night and the Rangers franchise goaltender was greeted with controversy.
The final goal of the 2-0 loss to the Canadiens at the revamped Garden came with just under three minutes remaining in the third period, when Lars Eller and Alex Galchenyuk came racing down on a 2-on-1. Eller passed the puck across Lundqvist’s crease, and as Galchenyuk was trying to stop, the puck went in off his right skate.
It was reviewed by NHL headquarters in Toronto for a possible kick-in, but was ruled a good goal and buried the Blueshirts on their first night home following a season-opening nine-game road trip.
“If that’s not a kick, I don’t know what a kick is,” Lundqvist said. “Seriously, there needs to be some sort of consistency in the call. I think that’s a kick. That’s my opinion.
“It’s just a frustrating goal there that kind of kills the whole game. It is what it is. It would be very interesting to hear their explanation for it just to know, moving forward, what the rule really is.”
Lundqvist missed the previous two games with an undisclosed injury, and coach Alain Vigneault said he has made up his mind on whether Lundqvist or Cam Talbot will be in nets Tuesday night against the Islanders at the Coliseum in the second half of a back-to-back. Because Vigneault has not told his goaltenders, he withheld the information from the media.
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After the game, rookie winger Jesper Fast was assigned to AHL Hartford, making room for Carl Hagelin to finally return to the lineup.
Fast had played in eight of the Rangers’ first 10 games, but will now go down to the minors in hopes of playing major minutes. Hagelin has been out since having offseason shoulder surgery, and Tuesday’s game is the first game he is eligible to play once he’s taken off the long-term injured reserve list Tuesday morning.
“He brings a speed dimension,” Vigneault said of Hagelin. “He’s a guy that can help us create turnovers. We’ll probably spend a lot more time in the other team’s end. So he’s a big part of this team, and if he does play [Tuesday], I’m sure he’ll be ready.”
Hagelin has been skating with the Rangers for more than a week, and has said he’s close to being in game shape.
“I feel good. I’m excited,” Hagelin said after Monday’s morning skate. “I feel ready. It’s up to the coach when I play.”
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The Rangers power play went 0-for-5 in 8:18 of total man-advantage time, and is now 1-for-15 in the past five games.
“You want to try to get two and three opportunities,” forward Brian Boyle said. “Montreal cut the lanes and blocked some shots at some key times. We try to do the same on the kill. It’s a small margin in terms of winning and losing.”