Since the 2005-06 season, Henrik Lundqvist has been a standout performer for the New York Rangers. Along the way he’s won Olympic medals while becoming rich and famous, yet he accomplished a first on Thursday: Lundqvist is finally going to a Stanley Cup Final round.
Make no mistake about it. He wanted this badly.
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Lundqvist: "Tonight, I don't think I've ever been more determined to win a game."
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) May 30, 2014
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It showed in the 32-year-old stopping all 18 Montreal Canadiens shots on goal, although you probably only need to witness this save to consider how much “King Henrik” wanted it:
If that low shot total didn’t indicate it, the Rangers enjoyed a great Game 6 as a team (their best performance of the playoffs, if you ask Alain Vigneault). Martin St. Louis raved about a fantastic overall effort.
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Marty St. Louis: "Everybody is pulling their weight, it’s not like one or two guys. That’s why it’s special."
— Andrew Gross (@AGrossNewsday) May 30, 2014
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More Marty St. Louis: "This is a big reason why I came here. This is what I thought about when I came here."
— Andrew Gross (@AGrossNewsday) May 30, 2014
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Whether it’s the Chicago Blackhawks or Los Angeles Kings in the final round of this fantastic and competitive 2014 postseason, this much is clear: the Rangers will need more of these determined team efforts.