Report: Henrik Lundqvist sidelined

— -- New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist reportedly will be out of action for at least one month, the result of a neck injury suffered when he was struck in the neck by a puck last weekend.

The New York Post earlier reported on the length of time Lundqvist is expected to miss. Rangers coach Alain Vigneault would not confirm the report, telling the media Friday only that Lundqvist would not travel with the team for Saturday's game against Nashville.

With backup  Cam Talbot in goal for Lundqvist on Thursday, the Rangers beat the  Boston Bruins 3-2. Vigneault said after that game that Talbot would start Saturday.

Lundqvist was struck by  Carolina Hurricanes center Brad Malone's shot in the second period of last Saturday's game after Rangers defenseman  Ryan McDonagh's stick pushed up Lundqvist's mask. Lundqvist shook that off, stopped 31 shots overall, and led the Rangers to a 4-1 win.

Lundqvist also played in Monday's game, stopping 33 shots in a 6-3 win over the  Florida Panthers. It was Lundqvist's 334th victory, 20th best in NHL history.

The Rangers are 30-15-4 and in third place in the strong Metropolitan Division, and sixth overall in the Eastern Conference.