Nick Kypreos doesn’t think it’s time for a goaltending change in New York.
The Sportsnet analyst was on Keith Olbermann’s show Thursday night to talk about the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Kypreos was asked whether or not the Rangers should replace starting goaltender Henrik Lundqvist with backup Cam Talbot in Game 4.
“Oh no, no no. You can’t go down that path, he’s your guy and you stick with him,” Kypreos said.
“It’s still relatively early in the series here, a big win here will tie things up and they’ll be just fine here. But, you don’t start messing with Lundqvist. I don’t even see them messing with him late in a series. He’s your guy, you pay him that way and you sink and swim with him.”
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The Lightning have scored 12 goals in the last two games against Lundqvist, including six in a Game 3 overtime victory Wednesday. Tampa holds a 2-1 series lead and Kypreos thinks that confidence could be playing a factor in the Rangers dressing room.
“I think over the last few years he’s (Lundqvist) made a habit to come out and challenge a little bit more and I think there’s a lack of confidence but also a lack in (Rick) Nash and (Martin) St. Louis and a few more when it comes to the overall scope of the New York Rangers,” Kypreos said. “Nash is a big puzzle and one which I would say is a much bigger concern to the New York Rangers than Lundqvist.”
Olbermann and Kypreos also took time to talk about other hockey-related matters, including one of Kypreos’ worst/funniest hockey memories.
On one occasion, Kypreos’ teammate Peter Bondra took a loop in the neutral zone, and ended up firing the puck into the bench. Kypreos said he was watching the play on the videoboard instead of looking at the ice and the puck caught him in the eye. The cut required about 14 stitches to fix.
Kypreos says the impact was so great that it knocked him back into the stick rack. When he looked at the opposing bench, he saw Guy Carbonneau of the Montreal Canadiens having a good laugh at his expense.
Olbermann and Kypreos also talked about the end of David Letterman and the time Kypreos made an appearance on Letterman’s Top 10 list while with the New York Rangers.
