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To figure out how tenuous the Rangers’ hold on a playoff position has been throughout the lockout-shortened season, look no further than Henrik Lundqvist’s workload.
The Blueshirts’ goaltender has started 36 of the first 41 games heading into tonight’s matchup against the crumbling Flyers in Philadelphia. In eighth place with seven games to go, the Rangers (21-16-4) can’t afford a major slip-up, yet coach John Tortorella figures getting to playoffs might be worthless if Lundqvist isn’t at least somewhat rested.
“Sometimes you have to make some decisions along the way,” Tortorella said. “When we’re dying on the vine and we’re struggling to get in, you have to make some decisions that way. Is Hank going to play all these games? Probably not.”
When backup Martin Biron might get a chance is a hard call, with the Rangers finishing out the season against five teams currently outside of the playoff picture. The most likely date could be Friday in Buffalo — where Biron played the first 8 1/2 seasons of his career, after being drafted by the Sabres with the 16th overall pick as an 18-year-old in 1995.
Yet, if the Rangers lose tonight or Thursday at the Garden against the 30th-overall Panthers, it might all go out the window.
“You got into the season thinking about trying to keep [Lundqvist] fresh,” Tortorella said. “But when you struggle and are as inconsistent as we are, you need to use him in some spots where maybe you were going to go with Marty. That’s certainly not a negative on Marty, but Hank is our No. 1 guy.”
Last season, when Lundqvist won the Vezina Trophy as the league’s top netminder, he played 62 games of the full 82-game schedule, the fewest he had played in the regular season since his rookie year of 2005-06. The pace he’s on now would have had him play 72 games over a full season, a strenuous amount of work that would take its toll on even the fittest and most mentally prepared player.
Yet, the 31-year-old Lundqvist, with one more year remaining on his contract, wants to play as often as possible. Already with an insatiable competitive drive, his fire is only stoked as the importance of games rises.
“I try not to think too much about where we are in the standings,” Lundqvist said. “I know it’s an important game, every game, and that’s enough for me. I just go out and try to focus on my game.”
He’ll get a chance to play his game, for sure, and when he does, the Rangers are going to need him to be at his best.
“Having everything in your own hands, that’s a good thing.” Lundqvist said. “It’s going to come down to the last couple games for sure, so we just have to continue working really hard, focusing on everything in our game. One little play can be the difference in making or missing the playoffs.”
* Injured enforcer Derek Dorsett skated by himself yesterday morning for the first time since coming to the Rangers in a trade with the Blue Jackets on April 3. He is still recovering from a broken collarbone, and likely won’t be ready before the end of the regular season.
Defenseman Marc Staal, still recovering from his devastating right-eye injury, did not partake in the full-team practice. He worked out off-ice instead, and is expected to participate in the team’s morning skate today in Philadelphia.