Lundqvist takes puck to throat then suffocates Carolina attack (NYR 4 v. CAR 1)
Henrik Lundqvist takes puck to throat (MSG)
It was the longest few minutes Rangers fans have suffered since Mike Richter went down in pain back in 2002. The scene was reminiscent to Marc Staal taking a puck to the eye in 2013. Henrik Lundqvist had his helmet accidentally lifted by Ryan McDonagh’s stick at the same time a rising shot hit him in the throat.
RANGERS 4 vs. HURRICANES 1
CAR v. NYR 1/31/15 (ESPN)
Lundqvist went down, and immediately started kicking his legs. Stomachs sank at Madison Square Garden, the scene for both Marc Staal’s life changing injury and Mike Richter’s career ending concussion. Everyone knew Lundqvist was in distress and even Mike Ramsey (NYR medical trainer) seemed to have a bit of panic in his face as he struggled to remove Lundqvist’s helmet.
The scene became worse when even the Carolina trainer came over and Lundqvist stopped squirming. Did he pass out? Was his throat crushed? Amazing how many awful thoughts can run through your head.
As Rammer applied ice to the area around Lundqvist’s neck and he appeared to at least look stable, a sigh of relief could be heard from MSG to the far reaches of space. Hank appeared ok but he had to be done for the night.
[su_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fs8TBxhW5jI”]
The heart is apparently a long way from the throat and Henrik Lundqvist decided he was good to finish the game. Even though Carolina would score shortly after and cut the lead to 2-1, the Rangers and Lundqvist would settle down and come out 4-1 winners.
[su_quote cite=”Jim Cerny” url=”https://www.blueshirtsunited.com/article/lundqvist-leads-rangers-past-hurricanes-4-1″]”I saw the shot and then felt a stick on my chin, and I had a bad feeling because I could kind of see the puck coming, but then I lost track of it,” explained Lundqvist. “When I got hit, obviously it was pretty painful and it was hard to breathe for a couple of minutes, and I was light-headed and a little worried at first. (The trainers) told me to just breathe and then slowly it got better.” [/su_quote]
For the Rangers, the win was their 4th over Carolina with one more game remaining this season. NY got on the board early with Rick Nash’s 29th goal of this campaign followed by a shorthanded goal by Dominic Moore.
Yet, the Rangers were being outshot and outplayed by a large margin. If not for Lundqvist, the score could have appeared very different. Alain Vigneault said afterwards, “The first half of the game we might have been up 2-0, but it was mostly because of Hank’s play.”
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The Rangers did eventually take the game over and score twice in the third. Dan Boyle and Chris Kreider sealed the deal and the Rangers were off the 2 game slide. NY will host Florida on Monday, and can expect Cam Talbot in net. Not because of the injury scare, but simply because Lundqvist could use a break.
NY is now back in 3rd in the Metro division. More importantly, Henrik Lundqvist is fine and all Blueshirts fans can breathe better too.
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NOTES
#NYR @HLundqvist30 joked that brother Joel “was an expert” at hitting him in throat with high slap shots as a kid “but nothing like this”
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) February 1, 2015
“Hank is such a competitor so when he’s down like that you’re scared for him..but thank goodness he is OK”-Marc Staal #NYR
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) February 1, 2015
AV said Lundqvist incident gave him a flashback to Montreal days when G Trent McCleary was similarly hurt. McCleary went to hospital.
— Andrew Gross (@AGrossRecord) February 1, 2015
Dominic Moore with the Broadway Hat for his stellar individual play for a shorthanded goal, which served as the winner.
— Andrew Gross (@AGrossRecord) February 1, 2015
AV on J.T. Miller: “Young players, it’s a process. J.T.’s just going through the process of any young player with good potential.”
— Seth Rothman (@RothmanHockey) February 1, 2015
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