N.H.L. Playoffs - One Shot Ruins Henrik Lundqvist's Stellar Night Henrik Lundqvist stopping a shot by Brad Marchand in the second period. Lundqvist shut out Boston in the first two periods. Save after save, magnificent stop after magnificent stop, Lundqvist seemingly was on his way to saving the Rangers once more with 23 saves through the first two periods. But after Bruins defenseman Johnny Boychuk tied the score early in the third, a wacky play ensued for the winning goal. A shot from in front bounced straight up in the air in front of Lundqvist. Like an outfielder losing a fly ball in the sun, Lundqvist swiveled his head in a futile search from right to left. The puck plopped near his left skate, and Daniel Paille flicked it into the net with 3 minutes 31 seconds left. The Rangers mustered little attack in the final minutes to lose, 2-1, and fall behind Boston three games to none, a playoff series deficit no Rangers team has surmounted. "It was a tough night," a sullen Lundqvist said after staring into space with his white goalie pads still on before reporters approached. We gave our best mentally and physically, but it wasn't enough. If any Ranger knows that annual rite, it is the 31-year-old Lundqvist, who often single-handedly carries the Rangers. His back-to-back shutouts in Games 6 and 7 of the opening round against Washington gave the Rangers their third seven-game series victory in the past two seasons. But against the faster, bigger and speedier Bruins, who storm the Rangers" end of the ice in waves, even Lundqvist can do only so much. The Rangers lost the opener, 3-2, in overtime, and Lundqvist had a rough Game 2, as Boston cruised to a 5-2 win. Returning to Madison Square Garden was bound to change the tenor of the series, Coach John Tortorella said. His team on the brink of elimination, Tortorella could not blame Lundqvist on this night. "He was outstanding," Tortorella said. He was under a lot of pressure and he made a lot of great saves. Lundqvist made 32 in all, including a breakaway stop on Tyler Seguin in the first period and glove saves on Dougie Hamilton, Brad Marchand, Chris Kelly and Gregory Campbell. He even stopped his hulking former teammate Jaromir Jagr twice in the second from in front. With the Rangers leading, 1-0, heading into the third period, a third shutout in five games seemed possible for Lundqvist. But the Bruins maintained their relentless pressure and came back to win. The road triumph left Bruins Coach Claude Julien impressed with the opposing goaltender as well as his own. "He did a great job keeping his team in the game," Julien said of Lundqvist, while also praising his goaltender, Tuukka Rask. "When everybody is doing a great job in front, it makes everybody's job easier," Julien added. But for Lundqvist and the Rangers, the task now is immeasurably harder. Lundqvist has had 30 or more saves 20 times in his playoff career. He will have to continue his majestic play if the Rangers are to have a chance of rallying against Boston. "It's unfortunate to have this game decided on a play where nobody saw the puck," Lundqvist said. The bounces just didn't go our way.