Hartnett: Fleury Went Against Goalie Fraternity By Calling Out Lundqvist

By Sean Hartnett
» More Columns

If Thursday's 4-1 dismantling of the Rangers wasn't enough, winning Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury tossed extra salt in the wound after the game by taking a shot at opposite number Henrik Lundqvist.

Lundqvist was involved in a heavy second-period collision with teammate Ryan McDonagh, resulting in the 34-year-old netminder suffering neck spasms. Fortunately for the Rangers, the injury does not appear to be serious, according to head coach Alain Vigneault. Lundqvist missed the entire third period as a precaution and received medical treatment from team trainer Jim Ramsay.

The Rangers will play the second of challenging back-to-back road games on Friday night in Washington and have recalled 24-year-old goaltender Magnus Hellberg from the Harford Wolf Pack on an emergency basis.

"His neck was spasming up and Rammer thought that the best thing was to keep him off and work on him during the third period," Vigneault said. "I don't think it's anything serious. They wanted to go on the safe side, so we took him out."

Following the collision, Lundqvist had words with on-ice officials and appealed for a stoppage of play because of the injury. There was no stoppage awarded and play continued. He then proceeded to angrily throw his net off its moorings and the Rangers were charged a delay of game penalty.

Lundqvist did not address the media after the game.

"I think he was trying to tell the referee he was hurt," Vigneault said. "I don't know if the signals got crossed or whatever. Obviously, the referee didn't pick up on it and he wasn't feeling right."

While speaking with the Penguins' in-house media Pens Inside Scoop after the game, Fleury called Lundqvist's actions "baby stuff."

It's particularly callous for Fleury, a fellow goaltender, to fire such a pointed barb at Lundqvist. Members of the goaltending fraternity tend to share in a camaraderie and tend to speak highly of each other in media scrums. Even goaltenders known to privately dislike each other away from the ice tend to stick up for fellow members of the goalie guild in public.

Fleury certainly knows what it's like to be on the receiving end of a serious injury. He's endured broken fingers, ankle injuries and other lower-body ailments. Fleury missed eight games earlier this season due to a concussion and was placed on the injured reserve in mid-December. For him to question the actions of Lundqvist, shows a total disrespect.

After all, we're talking about Lundqvist -- a goalie who bravely finished a game last season against the Carolina Hurricanes after being struck in his exposed throat with a puck. He went on to play the entirety of an additional game against the Florida Panthers before recurring headaches prompted him to seek further tests. The injury turned out to be far more serious than anyone imagined, as Lundqvist suffered a sprained blood vessel that would have exposed the Swede to a high stroke risk had he continued playing beyond the two games.

Fleury's comments add to the perception that the Penguins are an entitled, arrogant organization. You might remember former Rangers head coach John Tortorella torching ex-Penguin Brooks Orpik, captain Sidney Crosby and superstar Evgeni Malkin after Orpik delivered a knee-on-knee blow to Derek Stepan during a game back in 2012.

"It's a cheap, dirty hit," Tortorella said at time time. "I wonder what would happen if we did it to their two whining stars over there. I wonder what would happen. So, I'm anxious to see what happens with the league over this. Just no respect among players. None. It's sickening. It's one of the most arrogant organizations in the league. They whine about this stuff all the time, and look what happens. It's ridiculous. But they'll whine about something else over there, won't they? Starting with their two (expletive) stars."

Nothing has changed -- even with former Tortorella assistant Mike Sullivan now presiding behind the Pens' bench. The Penguins still carry themselves like a bunch of conceited primma donnas. They still dive, slewfoot opponents, embellish and pull out every trick in the book and while believing a different rulebook applies to them.

Lundqvist has always carried himself with class and Tortorella, while certainly temperamental, instilled a culture of respect for the opposition when a number of current Rangers were in the early chapter of their careers. It carried over into the Vigneault era.

Fleury can learn a thing or two from Lundqvist's classy example. In all likelihood, he's added fuel to the fire of an already boiling rivalry.

Follow Sean on Twitter at @HartnettHockey