Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Lundqvist Making Late Push For Vezina Nomination?


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.