King Henrik putting up peasant-like numbers in 2017
Henrik Lundqvist has to be the only person who misses 2016.
The new year hasn't been kind to the New York Rangers goaltender, and "The King" was rocked again Tuesday, this time by the Dallas Stars. Lundqvist was pulled after 40 minutes, with only 20 saves to show for the 27 shots he faced.
It was the fifth time in six games since the calendar turned that Lundqvist allowed four or more goals. Witness:
| Date | Opponent | SA | GA | SV% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1/17 | Stars | 27 | 7 | .741 |
| 1/14 | Canadiens | 22 | 5 | .773 |
| 1/13 | Maple Leafs | 27 | 4 | .852 |
| 1/7 | Blue Jackets | 37 | 4 | .892 |
| 1/4 | Flyers | 32 | 2 | .938 |
| 1/3 | Sabres | 19 | 4 | .789 |
Save for his win against the Philadelphia Flyers on Jan. 4, those are very un-Lundqvist-like numbers. In fact, the usually stellar 'tender now sports an .841 save percentage in January.
Lundqvist went into action Tuesday with a .907 save percentage on the season. That's notable because it was 2009 when No. 30 last finished with a save percentage below .920.
Could age - Lundqvist will be 35 on March 2 - be finally catching up to one of the best (and one of the most handsome) goaltenders to ever play the game?
It ain't easy being royalty.