Just because Henrik Lundqvist spent much of his NHL career in the Northeast doesn’t mean he’s privy to the region’s geography as a whole.
During TNT’s 4 Nations Face-Off coverage Monday night, when Team USA fell to Lundqvist’s native Sweden, the legendary Rangers goalie was tasked to locate Massachusetts on a map while discussing the Boxford, Mass., roots of his former teammate, Chris Kreider.
“He’s from the Boston area,” Lundqvist said as he picked up a pin while studying a map of the U.S.
The Hockey Hall of Famer, 42, then placed the pin in Virginia as he waved a hand over part of the East Coast and said, “It’s somewhere around here.”
As the “NHL on TNT” studio crew took in the playful moment, fellow analyst Paul Bissonnette — who hails from Canada and called Pittsburgh and Phoenix home at different points in his career — quipped to Lundqvist, “Good thing you can stop pucks.”
Lundqvist spent 15 seasons in the net for the Rangers beginning in 2005. He won the prized Vezina Trophy in 2012 and was nominated on four other occasions.
His reign in New York came to an end in September 2020 when his contract was bought out.
Although Lundqvist signed a one-year deal with the rival Washington Capitals a short time later, he had open-heart surgery in January 2021 to repair a leaky aortic valve.
Lundqvist announced his retirement in August 2021.
Monday’s on-air action extended beyond Lundqvist’s geography quiz as his homeland notched a 2-1 win over the U.S. at TD Garden in Boston.
The Americans had already punched their ticket to the 4 Nations final after a thrilling 3-1 win over Canada on Saturday.
Canada held off Finland on Monday to set the stage for Thursday’s championship rematch.
When Team USA takes the ice Thursday night they’ll be without Bruins star Chalie McAvoy, who was hospitalized Monday with an upper-body injury.
Daily Faceoff reported Tuesday the concern is an infection that stemmed from a minor injury.
