Written by the AP at Charlotte Observer.com
Rick Nash and Henrik Lundqvist returned to the New York Rangers’ lineup and were instrumental in their 2-0 shutout of the Dallas Stars on Thursday night.
Nash, who had missed four games with a groin injury, scored an unassisted goal with his team short-handed to snap a scoreless tie in the third period.
Lundqvist, who hadn’t started since a 4-2 loss to the Islanders on Dec. 6, left briefly after getting bowled over behind the net and combined with Antti Raanta for the shutout. Raanta had won three of the previous four games.
“I went out there with a lot of desperation,” said Lundqvist, who has won at least 30 games in 10 of his 11 seasons. “I felt like it was an important game for me to just feel good. My game hasn’t changed over a week, but my mindset has changed.
“It is a new experience for me,” he added.
Nash broke up a pass by Jamie Benn near the Rangers blue line, skated down the ice and put a snap shot past Dallas goalie Antti Niemi at 7:08.
Nash said he benefited from watching teammate Chris Kreider’s unsuccessful breakaway in the second period.
“After watching Chris try it on his breakaway, I thought (Niemi) was kind of cheating the deke, and thought I could kind of catch him off guard,” Nash said.
Mats Zuccarello added an empty-net goal.
Lundqvist actually returned twice on Thursday. Raanta replaced him for 5:31 of the first period after Dallas’ Cody Eakin plowed into Lundqvist behind the net, knocking off his mask as the goalie played the puck along the end boards.
Eakin received a major penalty for charging and a game misconduct.
“The league better do something about that hit,” Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said. “It’s everything that you want to take away from the game. A hit to the head, forward motion and it’s a goaltender on top.”
Stars coach Lindy Ruff defended Eakin.
“I understand the call. As a penalty killer, he’s trying to gain speed so he can get back. I know it doesn’t look that way, but there was no intent on his part,” Ruff said.
