Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Henrik Lundqvist’s secret to success? Balance in life

Washington Capitals v New York Rangers - Game Two

NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 30: Goalie Henrik Lundqvist #30 of the New York Rangers looks on against the Washington Capitals in Game Two of the Eastern Conference Semifinals during the 2012 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on April 30, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Getty Images

Being a goalie in the NHL has to be one of, if not the most, stressful jobs on the ice. For Rangers superstar Henrik Lundqvist, the pressure and intensity that comes with the job used to be sky high.

Key phrase there is “used to be” as he’s found an almost zen-like way of dialing things down. Larry Brooks of the New York Post hears from Lundqvist about how he’s changed his focus compared to how he used to do things when he was younger.

“I’m able to handle things like this better because I think I’ve found a better balance in my life over the last couple of years,” Lundqvist told The Post following Friday’s practice. “Even this year, over the regular season I could feel the difference in the way I was able to put the game out of mind on the off-days.

“I’m a pretty intense guy when it comes to preparation, and with the amount of mental energy that goes into playing, I needed to be able to have a different approach away from the rink, and that took some time for me.”

Taking a different approach has made life easier on Lundqvist and a lot tougher on opposing offenses. A locked in and focused Henrik Lundqvist is much scarier than a potentially overly fired up one. The real test today for Lundqvist will be to see how he shapes up after such a marathon game the other night. Another strong effort and victory will send the Rangers home with a shot of wrapping up the series.