In the midst of the NHL awards season, there are few stars brighter right now than Rangers goalie Henrik Lunqvist.
After being nominated as one of three finalists for the Vezina Trophy as the league’s top goaltender on Wednesday, Lundqvist got an even greater nomination Friday, becoming one of the three finalists for the Hart Trophy, given to the league’s most valuable player.
“It’s amazing,” Lundqvist said. “I’m not used to getting awards.”
Lundqvist joined the Penguins’ Evgeni Malkin and the Lightning’s Steven Stamkos as the finalists. The award is voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers Association and will be given out at the NHL Award extravaganza on June 20 in Las Vegas.
“This has been a fun year,” said Lundqvist, who finished the regular season third in wins (39), tied for third in shutouts (eight), fourth in goals-against average (1.97) and fourth in save percentage (.930). “The team has played well in front of me, helping me. I also feel like I pushed myself to play better this year.”
***
Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin had two goals and three assists in his team’s seven-game first-round series win over the defending Stanley Cup champion Bruins. Ovechkin is having a decidedly down year, and new coach Dale Hunter played him just 16:25 in the Capitals’ 2-1 overtime win in Game 7.
“He wants the puck on his stick a lot, most superstar players do,” said Ryan McDonagh, who along with blueline mate Dan Girardi will most likely get the call to shut him down. “He’s willing to try and do it himself, but he’s smart enough to use his teammates and create for them, as well. That’s what makes him so dangerous.”
***
The two most recent times the Rangers made the playoffs, they were eliminated by Ovechkin and the Capitals.
According to MSG Network, Game 7 of the Rangers-Senators opening-round series registered a 5.74 Nielsen household rating (424,000 households), making it the highest-rated Rangers game since Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals on June 14, 1994 .