PITTSBURGH -- New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist will be examined by a medical specialist Thursday afternoon in Pittsburgh to see whether the eye injury he suffered in Game 1 of the first-round playoff series against the Penguins is serious enough to keep him from returning to action in Game 2 on Saturday afternoon.

"He's been checked by our doctors, but at this time we don't feel that it's anything too serious," Rangers head coach Alain Vigneault told reporters Thursday morning.

"There's a little bit of swelling in and around the eye, so he's going to see another specialist this afternoon, and we'll have more news for you tomorrow."

The Rangers have called up minor league netminder Magnus Hellberg from the team's Hartford affiliate as a precautionary measure in case Lundqvist cannot play.

Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist was poked in his left eye at the end of the first period of Game 1. Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire

"It's just in case we get some bad news tomorrow," Vigneault said. "At this time we don't feel that way, it's just a matter of where the injury is and being on the safe side and making sure everything's all right."

Lundqvist was poked in the left eye area by teammate Marc Staal's stick in the last minute of the first period of Pittsburgh's 5-2 Game 1 victory.

Lundqvist went to the bench and was helped by training staff and ultimately told Vigneault he wanted to finish out the period.

He did and allowed the first goal of the game with 17.6 seconds left. During the intermission, Lundqvist reported having trouble seeing and medical staff agreed that he should not return to the game.

Antti Raanta came on in relief and allowed three Pittsburgh goals. The Penguins also scored into an empty net.

Wednesday marked the 111th straight playoff game Lundqvist has started for the Rangers dating back to the opening round of the 2006 Stanley Cup playoffs.