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NHL EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: RANGERS v CANADIENSMay 25, 2014Henrik LundqvistNEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Game Four Rangers – 3 Q. What can you say about the work that the penalty kill did tonight? HENRIK LUNDQVIST: Well, they played a huge part in this one. I think the timing and the way they work together has been really good the whole playoffs. But tonight they really had to step up. We put ourselves in a really tough spot by taking so many penalties. You know, there were some questionable calls, but in the end we put ourselves in a tough spot where they might call that. It's one of those games where they just have to step up and play really well. Sooner or later when you take that many penalties something bad is going to happen. That shot hit their guy in the slot there, so. But overall, we played really well. Five‑on‑five, we played a really strong game again, and it's going to come down to some balances. You have to be really sharp when you try to stay focused. The way they play, they try to throw pucks in the crease and have some deflections there or go for rebounds, and that is the way the game has been played, and it's going to be played like that. The balances in front of both nets are going to decide this. Q. Can you describe the emotions when Marty's shot goes in in overtime? HENRIK LUNDQVIST: That's a good feeling. I know we're here, couple days to go, same situation, going into overtime. You try not to think too much, but it's hard. It's an important game, and you try to be focused. I had a feeling going into the overtime, okay, let's not take another penalty, and that's what we do right away. So we had to step up big there on the P.K. and get the job done, and that was huge. I think after that, that gave us some confidence for sure, especially when he scores. It's a big relief and exciting at the same time to get the job done at home. A win is a win, but the experience to win in OT at home is always a great feeling. Q. Do you remember the sequence in the third period when they were prepping you pretty good and they had an opportunity there? You remember that sequence? HENRIK LUNDQVIST: Well, they had a few chances, obviously got a little lucky there. It hit my stick and then the cross bar. I wasn't sure if I got enough of the shot. But, again, they have some skilled players that are going to make some plays. That time I had that locked, but it's been some weird goals if you look at the couple of games where we're hitting guys or some weird bounces. But that's the way it goes. It's a quick game. They create a lot by coming in with the guys in front and throwing pucks at the net. So they're going to probably keep getting those bounces. But in the third it felt tough when they scored on the power play there. It felt like five‑on‑five we were playing so well, but, again, we put ourselves in a pretty tough spot by taking all those penalties. Q. You did get an assist tonight. How did it feel to help out on the offensive end? HENRIK LUNDQVIST: I didn't do much in that. But it feels good. I think the last‑‑ even actually in the entire playoffs. We talked about me playing the puck more and help the "D" out. I think that part has been really good, you know? I think they're more and more comfortable with me playing the puck, and we know where to go and where to place the puck. I don't know. I should not take too much credit on that assist, but just the actual play worked out well where Danny went to the side, and I knew he was there and going to fake them. Went reverse, and again, to play around the net is something that I worked on a lot this year. We spent a lot more time. We practiced to work on it for me with a lot of different plays. So it was something I definitely had to improve, so that feels good. Q. Going back to the breakup day last year when you said you felt the team took a step backwards from being two games away from the Finals. One game away from the Finals, what is the mindset going to Montreal? HENRIK LUNDQVIST: Probably not thinking that you're one game away. You just have to keep the same mindset that you had for the first four or five games, and then in the last series, you don't change anything. You don't think about what's ahead. You're just going in and trying to do your job here. It's going to be a tough game. They're coming and they're building, and I look forward to that challenge. But it's exciting too, to know that you're one game away. I mean, you have to motivate yourself to get to a level where you're helping the team, and that's pretty good motivation right there. Q. I guess you're hitting a bit of a personal milestone today with the win, most playoff wins in franchise history. I realize there are a couple of moving wheels going on right now, but in the context of the franchise, what's that mean for you to sort of be in that place in history now? HENRIK LUNDQVIST: Well, it's always a proud feeling, I know that. But it's always a proud feeling when you're up there with those guys. There are so many great goaltenders that play for this organization, and earlier this year I beat a couple records, and it means a lot to me. This organization, I've been part of it for nine years, and I'm going to be part of it for a long time, I hope. Yeah, I'm just really proud to be out there with those guys and hopefully can keep it going a little more. Q. When you see the play develop, the game‑winner develop at the other end of the ice, are you thinking like a goaltender? Are you saying this is what the other goaltender has to do and he maybe not quite get there? HENRIK LUNDQVIST: No, I think in that situation, I'm more in Marty's head, what he sees and what he's thinking. In a situation like this, you just hope for a goal. I mean, you're on edge. You're going out and you try to be calm about it. You try to be in the right place mentally by playing OT in the Conference Finals. Of course you're going to be on edge. So to see that play develop and him getting that much time, you just hope for a great shot, and we got it. That's a big one. Q. Can you review the two goals you did allow tonight and what happened on those? HENRIK LUNDQVIST: Yeah, it was a 2 on 1. I tried to be patient, and he just beat me with a pretty good shot. But I think I can‑‑ I actually haven't seen the goal. I'm probably going to look at it tomorrow to learn from it. But maybe I made the first move and came down a little too fast. On the second one, his shot was going wide‑‑ not quite, but it was going for my left side, and then it hit the guy in the middle and went back five holes, so overall it felt like a good game. I try to be in good position. I try to be smart with the rebounds because they create a lot from rebounds by throwing pucks. So it was a good win. It felt pretty good. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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