The New York Rangers have now won five
straight games and seven of eight and it is no surprise that one of the key
factors in their yearly late season push to the playoffs is Henrik
Lundqvist. Lundqivst is now 7-1-0 with a 1.98 goals against
average, .932 save percentage and two shutouts in the last eight games. Overall that leaves Lundqvist at 32-24-4 with
2.31 goals against average and .922 save percentage while collecting a league
leading 10 shutouts. Are those numbers
good enough to earn Lundqvist another nomination as a Vezina Finalist?
|
Goalie
|
Record
|
GAA
|
SV%
|
SO
|
TOI
|
GVT
|
|
Rinne
|
28-20-8
|
2.07
|
.930
|
6
|
3,308:19
|
29.3
|
|
Thomas
|
30-10-8
|
2.06
|
.937
|
7
|
2,939:39
|
34.1
|
|
Lundqvist
|
34-24-4
|
2.31
|
.922
|
10
|
3,539:03
|
24.9
|
|
Price
|
34-25-6
|
2.35
|
.922
|
8
|
3,822:18
|
26.1
|
For much of this season it has been seen as a lock that Tim
Thomas was going to win the Vezina Trophy for the best goaltender in the
National Hockey League. However, Thomas
has fallen off of late while others have risen and the race is looking a lot
tighter now than before. Thomas is still
the likely frontrunner, but I would actually give the award to Rinne if I had
to choose. Either way they will likely
go first and second in the Vezina race.
The real race is for the spot as the third finalist between Henrik
Lundqvist, Carey Price. Lundqvist is
beating Price in GAA, and shutouts while tied in save percentage and losing GVT
while the two tied in SV%. I would say
at this point that Lundqvist has a slight edge on price, but it will all come
down to the finish of the season. If
Lundqvist can keep up his recently play he will look in a nomination for the
trophy as well as a long payoff run for the Rangers.
