New York Rangers: Ups and downs prove there are still major issues

Pressure on and overuse of Lundqvist

The Rangers have been playing from behind a lot this year. When this happens, it puts added pressure on goaltenders. Lundqvist to be as close to perfect in every game to give his team a shot at winning.

This type of work at this high caliber that is dangerous.

It is no secret that Lundqvist is aging. While Ondrej Pavelec may not be the greatest option for a backup goaltender, he proved in the Rangers 2-1 OT loss to Dallas, where he made a whopping 44 saves for his team, that he can come up big and make an impact when he is called upon.

What Vigneault is asking of Lundqvist is too much — even if Hank says otherwise. Vigneault runs the risk of overuse and injury for his goaltender down the line.

At this point, Vigneault needs to play Pavelec in non-conference games. This will be essential to a successful postseason and hopefully a few more successful years with Lundqvist on their roster.