{"id":7932,"date":"2017-03-22T23:02:28","date_gmt":"2017-03-23T03:02:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonhockey.com\/?p=7932"},"modified":"2017-04-11T01:29:54","modified_gmt":"2017-04-11T05:29:54","slug":"henrik-lundqvist-set-return-california-road-trip","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2017\/03\/22\/henrik-lundqvist-set-return-california-road-trip\/","title":{"rendered":"Henrik Lundqvist set to Return for California Road Trip"},"content":{"rendered":"

The New York Rangers will welcome back their starting goaltender with open arms. Ahead of a crucial road trip through California that begins March 25th<\/sup> in Los Angeles, the timing couldn’t be more convenient as points become difficult to obtain down the final stretch of the regular season.\u00a0Henrik Lundqvist<\/a><\/strong> has been on the shelf since March 7th<\/sup> with a hip-injury<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Henrik Lundqvist set to Return for California Road Trip<\/h2>\n

In the absence of their backbone, New York owns a record of 2-4-0. Those are definitely not the numbers a team wants, especially in the treacherous Metropolitan Division. The bright spot for the Rangers has been their depth in net,\u00a0Anti Raanta <\/strong>has been a reliable option possessing\u00a0a 15-7 record. He has a .920 save percentage and a respectable 2.33 goals-against-average. While it’s great to have the 2012 Vezina Trophy winner back in the fold, the Rangers hope Lundqvist can return to form. His save percentage of .913 is around the league average, and not close to his career norms. The one they call “the king” has been a poster child for inconsistency this season.<\/p>\n

Lundqvist began the new year with one of the worst statistical stretches of his career. From January 3rd<\/sup> to the 19th<\/sup> he posted a percentage well below .900% with the exception of January 4th<\/sup> when Lundqvist put up a .938 in a victory over the Flyers. During this difficult sequence of contests five or more goals were surrendered on three occasions and the boys from Broadway lost four of six games.<\/p>\n

All teams go through adversity throughout an eighty-two game schedule, the good franchises find ways to bounce back. Proceeding the sequences of losses the Rangers won five of seven as the King returned to his throne, recording numbers over\u00a0.900% until he went down with injury.<\/p>\n

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“I’m excited to get back into things. We’re getting close here.” – @HLundqvist30<\/a> gives an update on his status and his plan for California. pic.twitter.com\/AZIuTtoBSw<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 New York Rangers (@NYRangers) March 22, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n