Lundqvist Starts Off Right

by: Melinda Quasius | Special to NY Sports Day | Tuesday, September 23, 2008



NEW YORK - In his first start of the season, New York Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist faced only twelve shots in two periods against the Ottawa Senators, stopping everything that came his way. The Rangers won 2-1 in the first home pre-season game Monday night.

Lundqvist stopped five shots in the first period and seven in the second before giving way to Matt Zaba.

The three-time Vezina Trophy finalist credited his defensemen in making his 2008-09 debut an easy evening.

“The defense looked really good for the first game for a lot of guys,” Lundqvist said. “They played really well. It was a really good game.”

“It’s not easy to have a solid game in the beginning, especially when you have so many new guys,” he added.

When asked about the decision to play Lundqvist for two periods, head coach Tom Renney responded, “That was an audible. It was one of those things where we needed to give him more activity.”

Ottawa’s only goal came against Zaba almost half way through the third period. The Senators picked up the offensive pressure in the third, putting 10 shots on goal in the session.

Center Dean McAmmond received a pass across the crease from right winger Brad Ibster and lifted the puck over the shoulder of Zaba into the top of the net. Defenseman Brian Lee was also credited with an assist.

New and new-again players filled the score sheet for New York. Just over five minutes into the first period, veteran center Petr Nedved strengthened his attempt at an NHL comeback by putting the puck past Ottawa goalie Alex Auld’s right glove from the left side of the ice.

Nedved was assisted by free-agent addition left wing Aaron Voros and Hartford Wolf Pack standout right wing P.A. Parenteau.

Nedved does not have a contract for the season after playing last year in the Czech Extraliga. This is his third stint with the Rangers.

“It was nice to get off to a good start,” Nedved said. “I was a little nervous before the game, even though I played here before.”

The Blueshirts second goal came in the second period with 26 ticks left on the clock. Left wing Lauri Korpikoski, another Wolf Pack product, dug the puck out from the boards on the right side of the net, spun around and put it past Auld. Defenseman Dan Girardi and center Brandon Dubinsky were credited with assists.

Auld was replaced by Jeff Glass in the third. Glass stopped all eight shots he faced.

The Rangers had to adjust to several new looks for the team this year, beginning with the first line. Center Scott Gomez, right wing Nikolai Zherdev and left wing Markus Naslund skated together as a line for the first time Monday night.

After the game, Renney said the trio would play again Tuesday in Tampa Bay with another selection of the split squad.

Another adjustment for the men in blue was having defenseman Wade Redden taking the point on the Rangers power play. New York was 0 for 7 on power plays, but Renney said he liked what he saw out of Redden, keeping the puck in the offensive zone and taking open shots from the point. Redden came to the Rangers in the off season from Ottawa as a free agent.

The Sens did not fare much better on the power play. They did not light the lamp in three man-advantage chances.

Monday began four games in four nights for the Rangers. After Tuesday’s game in Tampa, New York faces the Devils in Newark on Wednesday and Thursday pairs them with the Lightning at Madison Square Garden to finish the home-and-home series.