MONTREAL — When Antti Raanta talks about “getting into the game” come playoff time, he is talking about the mental part of it rather than the literal meaning that would be attached to the sentiment.
Even if, literally, that is exactly what happened to Raanta not once and not twice, but three times in the Rangers’ five-game, first-round flameout against the Penguins last year.
“If I would wake up on the day of a game and spend all day thinking that I might have to go in, I would be freaking out, and that would not be good for anyone,” the affable Finn told The Post following the morning skate preceding Wednesday’s opening-round Game 1 against the Canadiens. “I prepare for these games the same way I do every game during the season, just getting ready and feeling the ice.”
Raanta talked about “getting into the game, being more vocal on the bench, talking more with the D,” when it comes to the playoffs. Except he cannot do that here because there is no room on the visitors’ bench for the backup goaltender. So Raanta will watch the game from a folding chair in the runway leading to the ice outside the Rangers’ locker room.
“At least I can see the game and get into it from there,” he said. “It’s not like San Jose, where you are sitting on a chair behind a curtain in the corner watching on a little TV. That’s a hard way to be ready if you have to go in.”
Raanta was on the bench a year ago in Pittsburgh when Henrik Lundqvist was poked around the right eye by Marc Staal’s stick blade with 48.2 seconds remaining in the first period of a scoreless Game 1. Lundqvist talked his way into remaining in the match after a lengthy visit with trainer Jim Ramsay, proceeded to allow a Patric Hornqvist goal with 17.6 seconds to go and then left after the first period.
“I was hoping that Hank was OK not so much for that game or even for hockey, but for his life,” Raanta said. “When you have something with your eye, that’s what you’re thinking about.”
Lundqvist avoided significant damage. He returned for Game 2 following the 5-2 empty-net-aided defeat that was hung on Raanta and started each game of the series, getting pulled during the Game 4 and Game 5 routs.
“You don’t want to go in because someone is hurt, but you don’t really want to go in that way, either,” said Raanta, who allowed four goals on 38 shots in 93:50 (.895, 2.56) against the Penguins. “But sometimes that’s the job.”
Raanta’s job on this Wednesday morning was to take shots from the guys who wouldn’t play in Game 1. That group included Pavel Buchnevich, Matt Puempel, Brandon Pirri, Kevin Klein, Steven Kampfer and Adam Clendening in addition to Jesper Fast, who got a light skate in after having sat out the final three games of the season.
“We had a talk so that everyone who isn’t playing understands that it isn’t personal,” Raanta said. “There are only 20 uniforms available for each game, so we all have to be prepared to do our part to support the guys who are playing and make sure we’re ready if we are needed.”
Raanta, who had an exceptional season as Lundqvist’s backup (16-8-2, 2.26, .922) said the knee injury he suffered at practice on April 3 that prevented him from playing in Sunday’s season finale against the Penguins is no longer an issue.
“As long as you understand that you can’t injure it more and make it worse, then it’s something you can deal with,” Raanta said. “You know there is going to be some pain when you move a certain way, but that’s just part of it.”
It is part of it the way morning skates are part of it for the backup goalie.
“You go about it the same way. It doesn’t change because it’s the playoffs,” said Raanta, who then referenced goaltending coach Benoit Allaire. “I just listen to what Benny tells me. If he says 30 minutes is enough, that’s enough. If he thinks I should stay longer, I stay longer.
“I think Benny knows what he is doing.”