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Henrik Lundqvist At Fault For New York Rangers’ Loss To Montreal Canadiens

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A disgusted Henrik Lundqvist cursed himself, slashing his stick in every which way as he stomped off the ice and into the locker room. The King’s tirade was well warranted following the New York Rangers‘ 1-0 heartbreaking defeat to the Montreal Canadiens at Madison Square Garden. As brilliant as Lundqvist performed, this loss is on him.

Although Lundqvist made the “big saves”, he lost his focus when the game was on the line. During the brief second when the King lost his mental edge, Max Pacioretty slipped a sharp side wrist shot under the left arm of Lundqvist and into the back of the net. It was a goal that the Swede hardly ever yields.

While Pacioretty used defenseman Ryan McDonagh as a screen, Lundqvist did not anticipate the Connecticut born winger’s shot. Instead, he was sitting really deep in the blue paint, seeking a pass. In Lundqvist’s position, he would be able to generate a strong push off of the post, eliminating the angles of Pacioretty’s intended targets.

Despite the explanation for Lundqvist’s positioning, his attention should have been focused on Pacioretty. Pacioretty is Montreal’s best forward who is known for his quick release. As a goaltender, one has to expect almost anything to get thrown toward the net in the game’s final stages.

Lundqvist violated a law amongst goaltenders in that he failed to take the shooter. The King needed to explode off of that right post, challenging to take away the twine as he had the entire night. There was no need to worry about the pass. The primary concern for a goalie in that situation is the shot. If Pacioretty dished the puck off, Lundqvist could lean on his elite defenders to break the play up. However, by staying deep in the net and cheating towards the pass, Lundqvist left himself vulnerable on the short-side and Pacioretty took full advantage.

Although you can’t win when you don’t score, the Rangers should have walked out of Madison Square Garden with at least one point. Lundqvist surrendered the decisive soft goal on a mental error. While criticism of the King is harsh, he needs to be held to a higher standard.  The franchise goalie holds himself accountable. He expects greatness which is why he will achieve greatness. It is no secret that the Rangers can only go as far as Lundqvist carries them.

Adam Feld is a Rangers writer for www.RantSports.com.  Follow him on Twitter @trublunyblog.  Like him on facebook or add him to your network on google

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