Lundqvist Picks Up Win 400 Against Avalanche

Henrik Lundqvist credited his teammates on Friday for their role in helping him reach 399 career wins. He certainly credited them in their role in getting him to No. 400 Saturday night.
The Rangers scored three goals in the third period, including Rick Nash's game-winner, to erase a 2-1 deficit on their way to a 4-2 victory over the Colorado Avalanche for their fifth win in a row.

By earning his 400th win in tonight's game, Lundqvist becomes just the 12th goaltender in NHL history to reach that milestone. In accomplishing the feat in 727 appearances, Lundqvist becomes the fastest goaltender in League history to earn 400 wins.
"I'm just really proud and I'm really thankful for that opportunity," Lundqvist said after making 32 saves in helping the Blueshirts sweep their four-game homestand. "This organization means so much to me and they've given me the opportunity to play a lot of hockey. It's been 12 years where I've been getting a lot of starts and I've had a lot of good teammates throughout the years, and you think back to them right now, obviously because they're part of it as well."

With score tied, 2-2, in the third period, Nash redirected a shot/pass from Derek Stepan from just outside the crease to break a 2-2 tied 5:36 into the third for his 16th goal of the season.
"It's kind of funny how the game works," Stepan said. "I thought in the four games at home, our line probably played better in the first three. Rick finds a way to score a huge goal for us in a big game and that's something Rick is good at."
The Rangers took an early lead on Kevin Klein's second goal of the season just 2:26 into the contest when the defenseman ripped a slap shot from the point that beat Calvin Pickard for this second goal of the season.
Colorado would tie the game with 15 seconds remaining in the first period on a goal by Gabriel Landeskog, and would go ahead at 3:01 of the second period on a tally by former Ranger John Mitchell.

New York would even the score 2:50 into the third period on Klein's second of the night when he blasted another slap shot through Pickard to make it 2-2, before Nash's goal put New York up for good.
Kevin Hayes would add an empty-net goal with 1:38 remaining in the game.
"It was nice. It was timely goals," Klein said. "It's nice to chip in and contribute to that special win for Hank."

Lundqvist saved his best for last with 17 saves in the third period. The performance - and the moment - did not go unnoticed by The Garden crowd, who serenaded their goaltender with chants of Hen-Rik throughout the period as they've so often done since he arrived on Broadway in the fall of 2005.
"I'm going to tell you that last couple minutes you hear the crowd, you get goosebumps, and it was just like my first game here when they chanted my name," Lundqvist said. "That was 12 years ago. At times it feels surreal that you're in this moment, that you're here and playing, and at times you just look at it as your job because you don't want to complicate it."
Stepan, who has been teammates with Lundqvist since his debut in 2010-11, said the moment was special for everyone involved.
"Since I've been here, he's been our best player every single year," Stepan said. "To get a milestone like that, I know it means a lot to him. Our group is really happy for him."
While the moment is one he'll never forget, a player doesn't get to 400 wins without work ethic, and Lundqvist was already looking towards tomorrow.
"I will definitely enjoy this tonight and kind of reflect a little bit before you go back to work tomorrow morning."