NHL teams
Scott Burnside, ESPN Senior Writer 8y

Rangers' Henrik Lundqvist (eye) plays in Game 2 vs. Penguins

NHL, New York Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins

PITTSBURGH -- The New York Rangers received good news Saturday morning when star netminder Henrik Lundqvist was cleared to play after suffering an eye injury in Game 1 against the Pittsburgh Penguins. King Henrik delivered.

Lundqvist made 29 saves, including a flurry in the final minutes, and the Rangers held on to beat the Penguins 4-2 and even their first-round series 1-1.

"When you know there's nothing wrong with the eye, you know you can just go out there and just push yourself, and whatever is feeling uncomfortable, you don't really think about it when the game starts," Lundqvist said. "You just want to be out there, and you're very determined."

The Penguins took Game 1 on Wednesday 5-2, but the story of the night was an eye injury Lundqvist suffered late in the first period. That prevented him from playing the final two periods.

Lundqvist met with a specialist Thursday and practiced Friday, and there were no residual effects from the incident that saw teammate Marc Staal's stick penetrate the caged part of Lundqvist's mask and hit him near the right eye.

"Went through practice yesterday, came to our meetings last night, talked to our doctors, got up this morning, everybody agreed that there were no issues and that he was good to go," Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said.

Lundqvist made his 112th straight playoff start for the Rangers, dating to Game 3 of their first-round series against New Jersey in 2006.

"Good feeling to go home now, and then we get an opportunity to play at home," Lundqvist said. "I can't wait."

The Rangers were without injured veteran defenseman Dan Girardi. He was replaced by Dylan McIlrath, who played in his first postseason game.

Pittsburgh also got some good news, as forward Evgeni Malkin was back on the ice for the first time since suffering an upper body injury March 11. Malkin appeared to suffer a shoulder injury in a game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The Penguins, however, were still without goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, who is recovering from a concussion. 

Fleury missed the last two weeks of the regular season and the first game of the playoffs while recovering from his second concussion this season.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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