It was a very diplomatic thing for Henrik Lundqvist to say.
One might imagine the Rangers’ franchise goaltender walks around with a deep hatred for Montreal’s Bell Centre, the place where the Blueshirts have recently perfected the role of the Washington Generals, and the venue where Lundqvist himself has been repeatedly victimized by the Canadiens.
“I actually don’t hate the Bell Centre,” Lundqvist told The Post after Friday’s spirited practice, just before he and his team left for the province of Quebec, where they will take on the Canadiens on Saturday night. “I think it’s a great arena, great atmosphere. The record there is not great for us, but it’s still a great hockey building.”
That may be a touch easier for Lundqvist to say because he is not starting Saturday night. Coach Alain Vigneault and his staff made the merciful decision of giving the nod to backup Cam Talbot and saving Lundqvist for the second leg of the back-to-back, Sunday night at the Garden against the Kings.
“You want to play every game,” Lundqvist said, laughing. “You try to be ready for it when they let you know if you’re going or not. I’m just preparing for Sunday, so I don’t think too much about it, just try to be ready.”
What no one on the Rangers (9-9-0) wants to think about is their recent record in Montreal. They haven’t won at the Bell Centre since 2009 — eight straight losses. Seven of those have been in regulation, when they have been outscored, 25-3.
Lundqvist, who won the Vezina Trophy two seasons ago, has a 4.76 goals-against average and .857 save percentage in his past nine starts in Montreal.
“I don’t really have a good explanation,” Lundqvist said. “There are just some teams you have more success against, and they’ve just had our number last couple years. It’s something we’re looking to turn around.”
So, the team will look to Talbot for some help. The 26-year-old rookie has been solid in his four starts after replacing the since-retired Martin Biron as Lundqvit’s understudy, compiling a 3-1 record with a 1.97 goals against average and a .933 save percentage. He’s also aware of the team’s struggles in Montreal, and is hoping to reverse some fortune.
“You never want to think about what has happened in the past,” Talbot said. “You just want to keep looking forward and start a new streak of our own.”
Talbot has helped the Rangers regain a semblance of normalcy after their horrid 3-7 start. They have won six of their last eight, and even snuck above .500 before Tuesday’s 3-2 loss to the Devils at the Garden.
“I think your identity doesn’t get built in the first 10 games, or 15 games,” captain Ryan Callahan said. “But I definitely think we’re starting to build that identity of being a hard team to play against.”
The Blueshirts have already had the Canadiens spoil one big event this season, when they came in from a season-opening nine-game road trip and were greeted at the Garden by a tight-checking Montreal team that sucked the life out of the renovated building in a 2-0 win.
“We got to come out flying,” Talbot said. “We know they’re going to come out hot in their own building, so we have to match their intensity.”
If not, it’ll just be more of the same.