If Montreal can’t solve Henrik Lundqvist, they’re French Canadian toast.
The Rangers’ netminder was unbelievable on Monday night, a giant among men who made 40 saves in the Blueshirts’ 3-1 victory.
It’s especially impressive when you consider that all the talk leading into the series was of Lundqvist’s past woes in Montreal — how his last win over the Canadiens at Bell Centre came on March 17, 2009, and his career save percentage there was .876.
Well, now he has two straight victories and a .952 save percentage over that span. So much for history.
Lundqvist calmed the storm which began with the drop of the puck, when Montreal brought everything that they had and it still wasn’t enough to dethrone King Henrik. A first period that could have easily seen the Habs netting four or five goals eventually ended with the Rangers leading 2-1. Even a Canadiens’ late third period 6-on-4 barrage couldn’t sneak one behind Lundqvist.
He has now won a career-high five straight playoff games and looks unbeatable. With the Rangers leading the series, 2-0, heading back to the Garden tomorrow night, the Canadiens will have to win four out of five games. It doesn’t matter who is in goal for Montreal, as long as Henrik is between the pipes for the Blueshirts.
