Chris Kreider is congratulated by Martin St. Louis following his goal that made it 3-1 with 1:01 left in the second period. The Rangers took Game 1 7-2 over the Canadiens.
AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar

If it were a heavyweight fight, they would’ve stopped it early. In what can be best described as a dominant performance, the Rangers delivered a message by defeating the Canadiens 7-2 to take Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final at a stunned Bell Centre. Seven different players scored including Rick Nash, who finally erased a 17-game postseason drought. The seven-goal barrage included three consecutive power play goals in the third period to break it open.

Eleven different Rangers hit the score sheet. They were led by Ryan McDonagh. As if to remind Montreal what they gave up, he tallied a goal and three assists. The four points were the most by a Ranger defenseman in the playoffs since Brian Leetch in 1994. Mats Zuccarello had a goal and two helpers. Seven different players registered at least two points including Nash (1-1-2), Chris Kreider (1-1-2), Martin St. Louis (1-1-2), Derek Stepan (1-1-2) and Dominic Moore (2 assists).

”You don’t look at the score,” Brad Richards said after scoring a back breaker with only 12 seconds left in the second that gave his team a 4-1 lead and chased Habs’ starter Carey Price (4 GA on 20 shots). ”That’s not indicative of how anything’s going to happen in this series.

”We got fortunate. We got some bounces. We got some momentum, and pucks went in the net. It was a win, that’s all it was. We’re very aware that it’s going to be a lot different.”

Following pregame ceremonies, one team was ready. Right away, the Rangers established early momentum with a strong cycle. As if to prove a point, McDonagh blew past two Canadiens off a faceoff win in the neutral zone forcing Price to make a tough stop. Despite losing Derick Brassard to an injury stemming from a Mike Weaver hit, Rangers coach Alain Vigneault slid Dominic Moore between Zuccarello and Benoit Pouliot. Moore played a key role setting up the first two goals 1:52 apart. Out for a shift with Carl Hagelin and St. Louis, Moore got to a Kevin Klein pass and made a nice backhand feed for an open St. Louis in front for the game’s first goal.

An overjoyed Martin St. Louis celebrates his first period goal in Game 1.
AP Photo/The Canadian Press/Ryan Remiorz

”Emotionally, for us, that is something really strong right now,” Vigneault stated about how close knit the team is since St. Louis’ Mom France passed away. The entire team will attend her funeral tomorrow in Montreal. ”I know quite a few of our guys went to the wake (on Friday), and I texted with Marty last night to make sure that everything was good.

”It was an emotional time for everyone, but the guys have been behind me and supported me,” St. Louis expressed after being named the game’s number one star. ”My teammates are behind me and supporting me, and their effort was unbelievable.

”We feel really close right now and we’re trying to keep feeding off that.”

His goal set the tone. With Bell Centre looking for any reason to support their heroes, St. Louis and Zuccarello each tallied less than two minutes apart to take the crowd out of it. Off a great shift, Moore centered the puck in front for a pinching McDonagh. He got a piece of it leaving Zuccarello alone to stuff home his fourth at 6:27. The Rangers nearly made it 3-0 but had a shot ring off the crossbar. They also failed on two power plays with Rene Bourque in the box for consecutive hooking minors. After severely outplaying the Canadiens outshooting them 12-6, they took a two-goal lead to the locker room.

Henrik Lundqvist makes a glove save in Game 1. He finished with 20 saves.
AP Photo/The Canadian Press/Adrian Wyld

Following intermission, a much sharper Habs came out more aggressively. They began to dictate the play off the forecheck. Finally generating quality chances, they tested Henrik Lundqvist. One of the stories coming in was how poorly he’s played at Bell Centre. Lundqvist hadn’t gotten a start in four years. Whatever affected him had no impact in Game 1. Continuing to ride the momentum of stoning Pittsburgh, he was in a zone. Making acrobatic stops including a huge glove denial on P.K. Subban off a spectacular end to end rush, it didn’t appear Montreal would beat him. He made 20 saves with nine coming in a busier second.

The Habs finally broke through thanks to Bourque, who got a piece of a Brian Gionta centering feed and had the puck carom off McDonagh past Lundqvist, cutting the deficit to 2-1 with 7:22 remaining. With the building suddenly alive, they searched for more. A Brian Boyle hold on Subban in the offensive zone handed them a power play. Everyone knows how dangerous the Montreal man-advantage is. Boasting the lethal shot of Subban, they try to set him up from everywhere. Luckily, his one bomb missed its target. Even without Boyle, the Rangers had a strong penalty kill not allowing a shot.

A turning point came with over a minute left in the second. Throughout the game, Kreider had used his breakaway speed to get dangerous chances on Price. That included an early breakaway which a diving Alexei Emelin broke up. He also set up another that went off the goal post. This time, McDonagh made an outlet for Nash, who hit Kreider in stride for a one on one with Price. Kreider went short side restoring a two-goal lead with 61 seconds left. What came next was stunning. Incredibly, Subban fumbled away a puck inside his blueline leading directly to Zuccarello skating in and tricking Price by passing behind him to Richards for a back breaking goal at 19:48. Just like that, the Rangers were in control despite getting largely outplayed.

Montreal coach Michel Therrien decided to sit Price at the start of the third replacing him with backup Peter Budaj. Price nearly was injured on a collision with Kreider when Kreider lost his momentum on a break in falling into Price’s right leg. Fortunately, he was okay. Therrien didn’t like how his team played defensively and gave his starter the rest of the game off to recover. Game 2 is Monday.

”Good thing it’s a seven-game series and we have a chance to get back in it on Monday,” Bourque said of his team’s struggles. ”I think we had a little bit of an emotional letdown after the Boston series.

”We talked about that to going into the game. Obviously, it didn’t click. We have to just forget about this game.”

While that might be true, the Canadiens lost their discipline in the third. They took four consecutive penalties which took them out of the game entirely. A Subban high-sticking minor led directly to McDonagh blasting a one-timer top shelf that made it 5-1 at 1:28. Stepan and Kreider set it up.

Max Pacioretty took out frustration with a rough putting the Rangers back on the power play. Equally as frustrated, former Ranger Brandon Prust slashed and roughed up Kreider in front earning a double-minor (slashing and unsportsmanlike conduct) while getting assessed a 10-minute misconduct. The Rangers made him pay dearly. On a 5-on-3, McDonagh and St. Louis perfectly set up Stepan for a power play goal that made it 6-1 at 4:11. Still on the power play, Zuccarello and John Moore combined to feed Nash in front increasing the lead to 7-1 just 25 seconds later. That concluded a stretch where the Rangers scored five goals in a 5:37 span dating back to Kreider’s goal with 1:01 left in the second.

”We’re all happy to see Nasher score because he’s taken a lot of heat,” Richards said. ”That’s a little weight off his back.

”We won the game. When you’re in the playoffs, when it’s 7-1, no one’s jumping up and down about who scored goals.”

Lars Eller gave what was left of a disappointed crowd a shorthanded goal at 15:22 that concluded the scoring. It’s only one game but what a way to start it off for the Rangers. They played tremendously and took advantage of every Canadiens’ mistake. In listening to Vigneault on the postgame, they must be careful not to get overconfident. Game 2 is Monday night at 8 PM. Montreal will be desperate. Just as a reminder, the Rangers lost their momentum in the same situation last round.

Vigneault indicated that Brassard is “day-to-day.” He might opt to rest him with a two-day gap between Games 2 and 3. The series shifts to MSG next Thursday. Game 4 isn’t till Sunday, May 25. The remainder of the series, all start times are 8 PM. Game 5 is May 27 at Bell Centre. Game 6 is May 29 at MSG. Game 7 is May 31 at Bell Centre.

BONY 3 Stars:

3rd Star-Chris Kreider, NYR (goal-2nd, assist, 3 SOG, 4 hits, +1 in 24 shifts-16:25-NYR 4-0 since he returned)

2nd Star-Dominic Moore, NYR (2 assists, 9-for-18 on draws, +2 in 26 shifts-16:36-Super Dom)

1st Star-Ryan McDonagh, NYR (PPG-2nd, 3 assists, 4-point explosion, +2 in 30 shifts-24:01-how’s that for statement)