Watch: Rangers’ Henrik Lundqvist Takes Dirty Hit From Cody Eakin In 2-0 Win Over Stars

Henrik Lundqvist returned to the New York Rangers‘ net Thursday night after sitting for the previous four games, and was welcomed back by a nasty hit from the Dallas Stars’ Cody Eakin in the middle of the first period.

Watch: Rangers’ Henrik Lundqvist Takes Dirty Hit From Cody Eakin

Lundqvist went to play the puck behind the net during a Rangers power play when Eakin crashed into him at 9:19 of the first, sending the goalie down to the ice and his helmet flying. Lundqvist left the game in Dallas– which the Rangers won 2-0– and was replaced by Antti Raanta for the Rangers’ five-minute power-play, but then returned at 14:50 of the first. Lundqvist made 27 saves for the Rangers (21-10-1).

Eakin was given a five-minute major penalty for charging and a game misconduct in the Stars’ (12-14-6) loss.

“I didn’t see him coming at all,” Lundqvist said. “[The trainer] came out and told me, ‘You have to leave right away.’ … Felt pretty good. Did a quick test and tried to rush to come back out there because I really wanted to play.”

It was the first shared shutout in Rangers history, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Raanta did not face any shots.

After two scoreless periods, Rick Nash and Mats Zuccarello scored for New York, who lost to the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday after winning three in a row.

Nash took advantage of a turnover by Jamie Benn and beat goalie Antti Niemi with a wrist shot over his left shoulder for a short-handed goal at 7:08 of the third to give the Rangers a 1-0 lead.

“That’s a stupid play on that. When you play a good team like that, you’ve got to make them make the first mistake,” Benn said. “It was my fault. I’ll take the blame for this one.”

Nash returned to the lineup after missing the past four games with a groin injury. Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh was also back in the lineup after missing Tuesday’s home loss to the Blackhawks due to the flu.

Zuccarello then scored into an empty net with 1:04 remaining to make it 2-0. His eighth goal of the season ended a 14-game drought.

Lundqvist was at his best on the penalty kill, when he made nine saves to help New York kill five Stars power plays. In the second period, he made point-blank pad saves on Benn and Devin Shore. 

Niemi made 28 saves for Dallas.

Stars defenseman Jamie Oleksiak was eligible to play after serving a two-game suspension for an illegal check to the head of Philadelphia Flyers forward Chris VandeVelde on Saturday, although he was a healthy scratch.

The Rangers will next visit the Nashville Predators on Saturday, when the Stars host the Philadelphia Flyers.

DALLAS, TX – DECEMBER 15: Henrik Lundqvist #30 of the New York Rangers blocks a shot on goal against the Dallas Stars in the third period at American Airlines Center on December 15, 2016 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)