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Henrik Lundqvist to make New York Rangers return on Saturday?

By Patrick Schmidt

Jan 31, 2015; New York, NY, USA; New York Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist (30) makes a glove save against the Carolina Hurricanes during the third period at Madison Square Garden. The Rangers defeated the Hurricanes 4-1. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 31, 2015; New York, NY, USA; New York Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist (30) makes a glove save against the Carolina Hurricanes during the third period at Madison Square Garden. The Rangers defeated the Hurricanes 4-1. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports /
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Henrik Lundqvist is expected to start for the New York Rangers on Saturday after missing nearly two months after suffering a vascular injury after taking a puck to the throat.

The New York Rangers clinched a playoff berth in their last game and with 101 points are tied with the Anaheim Ducks for the President’s Trophy, and they are getting even better news with the return of Henrik Lundqvist to the starting lineup.

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Lundqvist hasn’t played since Feb. 2 and while the Rangers have still thrived without the Vezina winner between the pipes, his return to the starting lineup should give the team a confidence boost as they close the regular season and look to make it back to the Stanley Cup Final.

He returned to practice last week and ramped up his intensity with each passing day and tweeted a message on Friday evening to suggest he’s starting for Saturday’s game against the Boston Bruins.

In his absence, Cam Talbot did his best Lundqvist impression, going 16-4-3 as the starter as the Rangers climbed the Metropolitan division standings and now own the best record in the Eastern Conference and were the first team in the NHL to clinch a playoff spot.

Getting Lundqvist back means Talbot goes back to his reserve role as Lundqvist shakes the rust off and gets his back to the elite form he’s displayed throughout his career.

The Rangers can afford to work Lundqvist in slowly with Talbot proving to be a more-than-capable option in the crease and won’t have to rush his return and expect him to be at a Vezina level right away. They won’t have to play him in back-to-back games and their primary focus is getting him close to 100 percent when the playoffs begin on April 15.

Their first postseason opponent is still unknown, but what’s clear is they will have one of the game’s best goalies on the ice when the puck drops on the best postseason in sports.

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