Hartnett: Rangers Got It Right With The Acquisition Of Raanta

By Sean Hartnett
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Carrying a high-quality backup goaltender is a must for any NHL contender. Fewer teams are trying to get by with a strategy of employing a run-of-the-mill backup and piling a 70-game workload on their starting netminder.

Teams are realizing it's essential to have a viable insurance policy ready to step in to give their No. 1 the required breaks during the long, grinding 82-game season. Even more important is having a backup that can comfortably handle the spotlight when injury strikes.

For the Rangers, Antti Raanta is performing a similar role to what Cam Talbot accomplished last season. The 26-year-old has provided the Blueshirts with stability between the pipes when Henrik Lundqvist has been banged up, injured or in need of a rest.

Since Feb. 12, Lundqvist has missed six games. The job of the understudy is to keep the team rolling and Raanta has won four of his last six appearances. He has allowed two goals or fewer in four or his last five starts, going 4-1-0 with a 2.40 goals-against average and a .927 save percentage over this stretch. Overall, Raanta has surrendered two goals or less in 10 of his 15 starts.

Raanta's latest assuring performance came during Tuesday's 4-2 victory in Buffalo, his third straight start. The Rangers struggled with puck management in the first period, but Raanta came up big, making several difficult saves under duress. He was positionally sound amid the chaos the Sabres were creating with their big bodies and constant net-front traffic.

The Finn's focus was laser-sharp in the third period, when the Rangers were outshot 19-4. In all, Raanta made 34 saves in improving to 8-5-2, to go along with his 2.46 GAA and a .912 save percentage in 19 appearances. Head coach Alain Vigneault indicated early in the season that he needed a backup who could appear in at least 20 games.

Raanta's latest victory allowed the 39-22-6 Blueshirts to maintain their second-place standing in the Metropolitan Division. The Islanders are chasing the Rangers hard and are just three points behind with three games in hand.

Praise needs to heaped upon the Rangers' scouting staff for their astute recommendation of Raanta, and to goaltending coach Benoit Allaire for harnessing Raanta's full capabilities.

"Our scouts really thought there was some potential there," Vigneault said of Raanta in early November. "But the player still has to go on the ice and prove it."

Known as the "goalie whisperer," Allaire's work with Raanta has been of tremendous benefit. Raanta admitted in late December that working with Allaire has allowed him to make better reads.

"It's the small things that Benny says -- locate, locate and move," Raanta told WFAN.com at the time. "It's pretty easy, just the two things to remember, but sometimes it's a little harder to do. I'm trying to locate the puck better, trying to move a little bit more and see the play before it even happens. I'm searching (for) the puck.

"Whenever I see the puck, I try to make quick looks and see what is going to happen," he continued. "Now I'm reading the play a little bit better. I'm always trying to be in good position to make the save, then follow the rebound."

As for Lundqvist, it's very possible the Rangers' franchise goalie will be recovered from neck spasms in time to return to game action at some point this weekend. Goaltender Magnus Hellberg and defenseman Brady Skjei were reassigned to the Hartford of the AHL on Wednesday, having been previously recalled on an emergency basis.

The Bueshirts face the Red Wings in Detroit on Saturday afternoon, then square off against the rival Pittsburgh Penguins at noon on Sunday.

Should Lundqvist miss additional time, the Rangers know they have a solid backup plan in place.

Follow Sean on Twitter at @HartnettHockey