King of the Outdoors

Henrik Lundqvist played over 1,000 regular season and playoff games with the Rangers during his legendary NHL career, and during his 15-year career, he established several league and Rangers franchise records.

One of the NHL records he holds has to do with something that happened only four times over the course of his career; he is the only goaltender in league history who has won four different outdoor games.

While Lundqvist was unaware until recently that he held that perhaps obscure record (and the mention of it drew a laugh out of him), what he remembers well is the uniqueness of each outdoor experience, and that his memories of each event are better because the Rangers won each game.

"In all of these games, you want to try to win, have a great experience, and have great memories to look back on years later," Lundqvist said.

Lundqvist posted a 4-0-0 record, along with a 1.98 GAA and a .934 SV% in the four outdoor games he played with the Rangers, which were the 2012 NHL Winter Classic against the Flyers at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, the 2014 NHL Stadium Series against the Devils and Islanders at Yankee Stadium, and the 2018 NHL Winter Classic against the Sabres at Citi Field. But, as Lundqvist pointed out, the great statistics pale in comparison to the memories, emotions, and highlights that come from these events.

Take, for example, Lundqvist's penalty shot save on Daniel Briere with 19.6 seconds remaining in regulation in the 2012 NHL Winter Classic, which prevented the Flyers from tying the game. It's a save that ranks among the most memorable outdoor game moments in NHL history, and the image of Lundqvist stopping Briere is featured among the great Rangers moments that line the walls of the team's locker room at both Madison Square Garden and MSG Training Center.

"Maybe that's why the save keeps popping up in my mind," Lundqvist joked. "A game like that, and all of those outdoor games, you remember them because they are so unique and you only play a few of them. Making that save was a cool experience and was definitely a highlight."

The teams that play in outdoor games have worn special jerseys for the event; the Rangers had three different jerseys for the four outdoor games they played (one of the 2012 NHL Winter Classic, one for the two games in the 2014 NHL Stadium Series, and one for the 2018 NHL Winter Classic), and they will have a special jersey when they take part in the 2024 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series against the Islanders on February 18, 2024 at MetLife Stadium. For Lundqvist, who loved to have different designs for his masks and equipment throughout his career, playing in outdoor games allowed him to be creative with his equipment and have fun with the event.

"I really liked the Pinstripe setup I had for the games in 2014," Lundqvist said. "With that setup and the mask with the Yankee legends on it, that was pretty cool. I had a nice set made for the last outdoor game (in 2018) as well, but I just didn't have enough time to get ready in those pads. So, Cass (Rangers' Head Equipment Manager Acacio Marques) custom-designed it a little bit on my regular pads at the time by including the bridge on it and the logo. As always, Cass did a great job and it worked out."

Besides wearing different gear and uniforms, the biggest differences for Lundqvist were the adjustments he needed to make to his pre-game routine and seeing the game develop in front of him.

"It's so different playing in a regular arena compared to playing outside," Lundqvist said. "It's tighter indoors, and obviously when you come outside, it's a different light. I'd say that the lighting is the biggest difference; when you play indoors, you have the light coming straight down and there aren't any shadows on the ice. But when you play in a stadium outdoors, it creates some shadows around the ice. You just get used to it, especially during warm-ups."

Based on his personal statistics and the results of the games, Lundqvist had little trouble making the necessary adjustments to have success outdoors. In looking back overall at the four games he played outdoors, Lundqvist said that he's grateful to have played in games on that stage, and explained how being able to get that chance is one of my reasons why he felt privileged to play with the Rangers.

"I'm just happy that I got the opportunity to play in four outdoor games," Lundqvist said. "There are so many reasons why it's exciting to represent the organization and the fan base. Having the opportunity to play in a big market in New York City, you maybe tend to get a couple of more looks in these types of games, which is awesome.

"Hopefully the players will go out there (in February) and enjoy the moment. Obviously, you want the two points, but you also want to enjoy the experience."