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NHL

Lundqvist awarded as NHL’s top goaltender

New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist took home his first Vezina Trophy as the top NHL goaltender this season, his 39 triumphs helping the Rangers to their best record since 1994.

Lundqvist awarded as NHL's top goaltender

“I can’t believe it. It really is a dream come true standing here. It feels fantastic to be on the same list as Patrick Roy, Dominik Hasek, Martin Brodeur… It means the world to me,” Lundqvist said while holding his newly awarded trophy, reported news agency TT.

It was the fourth time Lundqvist was nominated for the award, but unlike previous occasions, he managed to beat the other candidates, this year Nashville Predators Pekka Rinne and the Stanley Cup-master Jonathan Quick from the Los Angeles Kings.

Lundqvist was also nominated for the Hart Trophy as the National Hockey League’s Most Valuable Player and the Ted Lindsey Award, but these were both won by Pittsburgh Penguins Russian player Jevgenij Malkin.

However, the Swedes continued to do well with Ottawa’s Erik Karlsson, a 22-year-old Swede, winning the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s top defenseman, becoming the youngest Norris winner since legend Bobby Orr won his first of eight such trophies in 1968 at age 20.

Another Swede, Colorado Avalanche left wing Gabriel Landeskog, captured the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s Rookie of the Year after scoring 22 goals and setting up 30 others.

Ottawa Senators player, Daniel Alfredsson, was awarded the King Clancy Memorial Trophy, a prize awarded to the player who has shown the best leadership qualities on and off the ice.

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NHL

It’s official: Sweden’s Lundqvist is the NHL’s best goalie

Sweden's Henrik Lundqvist made 12 straight saves to win the goaltender competition at the NHL all-star game's skill night.

It's official: Sweden's Lundqvist is the NHL's best goalie
Henrik Lundqvist of the New York Rangers celebrates winning the Ticketmaster NHL Save Streak during the 2019 SAP NHL All-Star Skills contest on Friday in San Jose, California. Photo: Thearon W. Hender
The New York Rangers goalie knocked off Russian Olympian Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning, who held the lead through several rounds after stopping the first eight shots he faced. 
 
The skill contests held on Friday night in San Jose, California also saw Edmonton Oilers speedster Connor McDavid win his third straight fastest skater title in a competition that included a female participant for the first time.
 
Canada's McDavid charged around the rink in just 13.37 seconds to eclipse Buffalo Sabres forward Jack Eichel, who finished in 13.58 seconds at the SAP Center arena.
 
Kendall Coyne, who plays on the American women's national team, was invited to take part and finished seventh out of eight skaters, beating out Arizona Coyotes forward Clayton Keller. Coyne cruised to a time of 14.34 seconds while Keller, who has 11 goals and 35 points with the Coyotes this season, finished in 14.52. 
 
“I thought she was unbelievable,” McDavid said. “She was absolutely flying out there.” 
 
Last year, Coyne's teammate Hilary Knight did the accuracy shooting drill, but her impressive time wasn't included in the official results.
 
Johnny Gaudreau defended his title in the puck control contest with a time of 27.045, and John Carlson, who captured a Stanley Cup with the Washington Capitals last season, won the hardest shot contest with a blast of 102.8 mph.
 
The NHL all-star game will take place on Sunday.