Battle Of Hudson

The Canadiens celebrate a 3-2 overtime win over the Rangers in Game 3 courtesy of hero Alex Galcheynuk.
AP Photo/Kathy Willens

The Canadiens are back in the series. Alex Galchenyuk’s goal at 1:12 of overtime won Game 3 to send Montreal to a 3-2 win over the Rangers at a stunned MSG. The second-year Hab drove the net and had Tomas Plekanec’s rebound deflect off him and in sending his team to a well deserved victory. They now trail the Eastern Conference Final two games to one. Game 4 is Sunday and now looms large. The winner will have all the momentum.

Montreal won despite getting dominated in a lopsided first period that saw them outshot 14-4. Fired up by an undetected cheap shot from Brandon Prust on Derek Stepan, the Rangers outskated and out chanced their opponent by a country mile. Wanting to avenge the hit, they finished every check and played with edge. There was also truculence with Derek Dorsett going after Prust but losing badly in a scrap. During the same scrum, an incensed Daniel Carcillo went overboard on an iffy charge by elbowing the referee. He deservedly was kicked out and faces league discipline. He will either serve a one-game ban or three for his stupidity.

By the same token, you have to wonder what refs Marc Joanette, Kevin Pollock and Wes McCauley were thinking. Somehow, they and the two linesmen didn’t see Prust come across and deliver a dangerous blindside hit to Stepan that easily could’ve resulted in a serious injury. Luckily, Stepan returned and played with anger delivering a big hit on Alexei Emelin. The same crew later missed a blatant Montreal bench minor but also missed an obvious Ryan McDonagh slash on Brendan Gallagher, who went to the box for interference. While the officiating was touchy with also an offside on the Rangers missed, that’s not why they lost. The bottom line is they gave a dangerous opponent life. Now, it’s a series.

Canadiens’ goalie Dustin Tokarski makes one of his 35 saves to help lift his team to a Game 3 victory. The Rangers lead the series 2-1.
AP Photo/Seth Wenig

Credit must go out to Dustin Tokarski. After coach Michel Therrien showed a lot of confidence in him, he rewarded him with a clutch performance finishing with 35 saves. That included several big stops with his team hanging on by a thread. He was the difference outperforming Henrik Lundqvist (21 saves). Lundqvist actually looked human allowing Andrei Markov to tie the game with an unscreened shot. He also had a bit of bad luck for a change with the Habs’ last two goals taking unfavorable bounces. Maybe P.K. Subban knew something. Outside of that, he was quiet.

It started out promising for the home side. After getting all sorts of chances, the Rangers finally took a 1-0 lead when a sliding Hagelin blocked a Subban point shot and broke in two-on-one. Patiently waiting for trailer Martin St. Louis, he fed across for a St. Louis one-timer that a diving Josh Gorges saved. But Hagelin came back for the rebound escaping a weak Thomas Vanek back check for the first goal at 15:18.

Markov tied it up 3:20 into the second. Following a close call at the other end, he took a Max Pacioretty cross-ice feed and beat Lundqvist from the right circle. Gallagher helped set it up earning a secondary assist. Back even, the Habs started to turn the tide. Using their speed, they began to escape Ranger checks and test Lundqvist. In particular, Gallagher and Pacioretty were dangerous along with David Desharnais. Lundqvist stopped eight of nine.

While the play was more even, the Rangers certainly had their chances. They got 13 more shots on Tokarski but he stayed cool throughout. He did a good job taking away the low part of the net. He allowed rebounds but his team defense protected him. There was also a sliding save on St. Louis later that was at the top of the list. Outside of Chris Kreider, who eventually forced sudden death, the Blueshirts didn’t get enough traffic. They also weren’t able to go high on him. An adjustment that must be made when the series resumes.

There weren’t many penalties called despite protests from both benches. They nabbed Stepan for a hooking minor which got a angry look. Who could blame him? For a third straight game, the Rangers penalty kill got the job done killing both Montreal power plays. They’re now 0-for-9. On the Ranger side, they went 0-for-2 despite getting some looks. On one, they didn’t take advantage of a broken stick only managing one shot. There was the controversial call on Gallagher which got plenty of gripes from Therrien.

The third was tentatively played. Montreal played looser and it showed. For over half a period, they limited the Rangers to three shots. Not nearly enough against a hot goalie. The Canadiens were quietly getting better quality chances forcing Lundqvist to make some difficult saves. It was following a dominant shift from Stepan’s line with Kreider and Rick Nash that the Habs struck in transition. Following a Lundqvist stop on Rene Bourque, he denied Vanek. But Vanek stayed with it behind the net leading to an odd goal from Danny Briere, who wisely banked the puck off McDonagh’s skate to give Montreal a 2-1 lead with 3:02 left in regulation.

Chris Kreider celebrates his tying goal late in regulation that sent Game 3 to overtime.
AP Photo/Seth Wenig

Urged on by a too quiet crowd who seemed nervous, the Rangers pulled Lundqvist and found a way to tie it. After he went to the bench with under 90 seconds to go, they really pressed the action. Tokarski made some big saves but was blameless when Kreider managed to deflect a Girardi shot off Emelin and in at 19:31 sending MSG into bedlam. They nearly ended it on the next shift. With Therrien only playing with five defensemen, his team looked tired and barely managed to get it to OT.

In sudden death following a Ranger cycle, Plekanec took a Brian Gionta feed and gained the Ranger zone. Holding onto the puck, he patiently waited before firing a wrister from the left circle which Lundqvist got a piece of. However, an unchecked Galchenyuk had the good fortune of the puck bouncing off his chest and in for the game-winner only 72 seconds into overtime. That could be a series shifter.

BONY 3 Stars:

3rd Star-Carl Hagelin, NYR (goal-5th, 5 SOG in 26 shifts-17:16-the only consistent forward. Where was everyone else?)

2nd Star-Alex Galchenyuk, MTL (scored winner at 1:12 of OT-1st of playoffs, +1 in 23 shifts-15:13-speedy winger drove net)

1st Star-Dustin Tokarski, MTL (35 saves incl. 13/14 in 1st, 13/13 in 2nd, 8/9 in 3rd, 1 save in OT-kid stole the show on Broadway)

Chris Kreider’s goal with under 29 seconds left in regulation has sent Game 3 to overtime. With Henrik Lundqvist pulled for an extra attacker, the Rangers furiously pushed for the equalizer after falling behind by a goal with 3:02 left. The Canadiens’ Danny Briere put his team in front when he banked a loose puck off Ryan McDonagh and in.

Kreider redirected a Dan Girardi shot off Montreal defenseman Alexei Emelin past Dustin Tokarski to force sudden death. His third of the postseason comes from Girardi and Derek Stepan. Stepan, who back in the first took a dangerous blindside hit from Brandon Prust, hasn’t shown any ill effects since going to the locker room. Fortunate for the Ranger side with Derick Brassard still out and Daniel Carcillo losing his mind by bumping a ref on an iffy penalty to earn a game misconduct and potential suspension.

The Canadien goal scorers are Andrei Markov and Briere. The Ranger goal scorers are Carl Hagelin and Kreider. Who will play the hero? Our OT picks:

Montreal-Brendan Gallagher

Rangers-Mats Zuccarello

Derick Brassard celebrates a goal with teammates Benoit Pouliot and Ryan McDonagh. His overtime winner allowed the Rangers to prevail over the Penguins in Game 1 3-2.
AP Photos/Gene J. Puskar

For a second straight game, the Rangers will have to do it without Derick Brassard. The key center between Benoit Pouliot and Mats Zuccarello left Game 1 after taking a hit by Canadiens’ defenseman Mike Weaver in the first period. He’ll again sit out for Game 3.

Perhaps with his team up two games, coach Alain Vigneault doesn’t want to take any chances. There’s no point in rushing Brassard back. A year removed from being acquired along with Derek Dorsett and John Moore from Columbus for Marian Gaborik, Brassard has been a key contributor. After leading the Rangers in scoring last postseason with 11 points (5-6-11), he has four goals and three assists so far.

Without him, Vigneault has used versatile center Dominic Moore to center Pouliot and Zuccarello. Moore was instrumental in Game 1 setting up the first two goals in a 7-2 rout. He also made a smart play getting the puck deep following Max Pacioretty’s goal in Game 2. It helped lead to Ryan McDonagh’s tying goal 17 seconds later which was a huge turning point. He’ll again play with Pouliot and Zuccarello.

Vigneault will also keep Daniel Carcillo in the lineup working on the fourth line with Brian Boyle and Derek Dorsett. There are no changes from last game. The lines remain intact.

Kreider-Stepan-Nash

Hagelin-Richards-St. Louis

Pouliot-D. Moore-Zuccarello

Carcillo-Boyle-Dorsett

McDonagh-Girardi

Staal-Stralman

J. Moore-Klein

Lundqvist

Finally, the Rangers play host to the Canadiens for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final. At what should be a raucous environment at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers look to continue a run that’s seen them win five consecutive postseason games. They’ve outscored the Pens and Canadiens 20-6 putting them within two victories of making their first Stanley Cup appearance in 20 years.

With all the hoopla surrounding them, they must be careful to guard against a letdown. It’s felt like ages since the two teams have played. It was on Monday that the Rangers backed by Henrik Lundqvist’s 40 saves defeated the Canadiens 3-1 to sweep the first two games at Bell Centre. With a layoff preempting the third round series from resuming, much talk has centered around Lundqvist. His brilliance has seen him stop 162 of the last 168 shots during the five-game run.

Frustrated after taking 18 shots with half making the net, Montreal defenseman P.K. Subban called Lundqvist ‘lucky.’ At this time of year, you do need a little luck to be successful. Obviously, the former Norris winner is trying to fire up his team after they controlled play in Game 2 but didn’t get the breaks coach Michel Therrien referenced. If they continue to get that amount of pressure, Subban’s right. They’ll start going in.

Having an extra day off to prepare probably helps the Canadiens. It also can halt the Rangers’ momentum. When they take the ice after 8 PM, they can’t allow a desperate opponent to turn the tide. As they already know, any series can change quickly. In the first two games, Montreal has only led for 17 seconds with Max Pacioretty’s goal followed up by Ryan McDonagh’s bank shot off Josh Gorges that Dustin Tokarski had no chance on. Sometimes, you do get bounces. But as Brian Boyle noted, you make your own breaks.

One reason they’re in good position is special teams. The power play is 4-for-10 and the penalty kill is a perfect 7-for-7 against one of the most lethal units. That development wasn’t expected. It’s been the execution of a revitalized Rangers power play featuring Chris Kreider that’s taken advantage of the Habs. Able to move the puck efficiently and get traffic in front, they’ve gotten it done. The discipline of their penalty killers has been equally impressive. While it’s impossible to prevent Subban from bombing away at the point, they’ve kept most of the chances to the outside. When they’ve gotten in trouble, Lundqvist has bailed them out.

With Therrien opting to stick with Tokarski, he’s viewing his playoff debut the same way I have. He wasn’t to blame for any of the three goals and made quality stops that gave his team a chance. The Rangers must make his life difficult. Move him side to side and attempt shots from different angles while getting bodies to the net. As coach Alain Vigneault has pointed out, the challenge remains the same. Do what they have to be successful.

There will be plenty of energy at MSG. An experienced group who’s been through the playoff grind can’t take it for granted. In 2012, the Blueshirts led the Devils 2-1 but never won another game. The pain from that crushing defeat hasn’t been lost on the remaining 10 players. Brad Richards drove a point home about how hard it is to get back. He and Martin St. Louis have never been to another Cup Final since winning together 10 years ago. Lundqvist was also quick to point out how he felt the 2012 team didn’t leave it all out there or reach its full potential, basically referencing himself.

Motivation isn’t lacking for this group that’s bonded since the sad death of St. Louis’ Mom France. They have played together as a unit and that’s what’s gotten them here. Don’t let the Habs breathe. Game 4 isn’t till Sunday. Thanks to the wacky schedule of NBC and CBC, this series will drag out. The Rangers’ task is simple. Don’t make it harder than it has to be. Feed off the energy of the crowd. Take the next step.

Getting Nashty: Rick Nash celebrates his second goal in as many games with Derek Stepan and Chris Kreider.
AP Photo/The Canadien Press/Graham Hughes

It’s official. The Rangers are on a roll and it’s taken them within two wins of playing for the Stanley Cup for the first time in 20 years. By following up with an even more impressive 3-1 Game 2 victory over the Canadiens at Bell Centre, they finally snapped the streak of losing 14 straight when leading a series. They’ll take a 2-0 series lead in the Eastern Conference Final back to MSG for Game 3 on Thursday.

They owe it in large part to Henrik Lundqvist, who was again brilliant stopping 40 of 41 shots en route to a fifth straight win. Getting remarkable goaltending from their best player allowed the Rangers to settle down following a predictable Habs’ onslaught. He stood on his head. That included making 13 saves in a hectic first period that somehow saw the Rangers sneak out with a 2-1 lead.

”I thought we played well, and the only reason we lost was Lundqvist,” Montreal coach Michel Therrien said. ”He stole that game.”

If there is one thing he’s right about, Therrien is on Lundqvist’s performance. Right now, he’s in a zone having stopped 162 of 168 shots during the Rangers last five wins. With the former Vezina winner taking care of business in net, it’s allowed his teammates to play with confidence. They’ve outscored opponents 20-6 during the stretch and have put themselves in a strong position to play into June.

It didn’t start out looking that way. With a much more aggressive Canadiens attack pressing the action, Lundqvist was under siege. They had the first four shots in just a couple of minutes. The Rangers were shaky turning over the puck which finally allowed Montreal to take a lead when Max Pacioretty got a favorable bounce off Lundqvist for an unassisted tally at 6:14. Following a Derek Stepan turnover, the Habs kept the Rangers pinned in until Mats Zuccarello over skated a puck allowing Pacioretty to have the good fortune of Lundqvist poking the puck off him and hop over the goalie into the net.

With the crowd in a frenzy, the Rangers responded immediately when only 17 seconds later Ryan McDonagh got a similar break with his point shot caroming off Habs’ defenseman Josh Gorges past Game 2 starter Dustin Tokarski. Dominic Moore made the play by getting the puck in deep. His forecheck forced a turnover allowing McDonagh the room and space to fire it quickly to tie the score. With Derick Brassard out due to injury, Moore again centered Zuccarello and Benoit Pouliot doing a solid job. Rangers coach Alain Vigneault inserted Daniel Carcillo on the fourth line.

”We knew they were going to come hard, but we put ourselves in a tough spot there by not getting pucks out,” Lundqvist said. ”They were all over us.

”But to tie it up quickly like that, I think that was important to kind of even out the momentum a little bit.”

Undeterred, the Canadiens continued to come. However, they once led in shots 12-3 before the Rangers got their footing. Montreal was unable to take advantage of eight giveaways.  When Lundqvist wasn’t stifling them, Thomas Vanek was taking a bad slashing minor on McDonagh that negated a power play. For the game, the Habs were unable to score in four opportunities making them 0-for-6 in the series. Despite what Therrien contested about getting the bounces and the calls at the right time, his team has failed on the man-advantage.

For a second consecutive game, Rick Nash scored. Unlike Game 1 when he got his first of the playoffs in a blowout, this time he made his second one count. With the game still knotted, he finished off a tic-tac-toe passing play from the combination of Stepan and Bell Centre target Chris Kreider. Forcing a turnover in the neutral zone, Kreider worked a give and go with Stepan, who drove the net leaving a perfect gap for Kreider to dish across for a sweet Nash finish that put the Rangers ahead 2-1 with 1:02 left in the period. The reaction of the bench led by Kevin Klein (seen above) was priceless. It speaks to the chemistry they have.

A tighter second saw the Rangers play better in front of Lundqvist. After being outshot 14-9, they held a 11-8 edge and were able to limit the Canadiens’ opportunities. Even P.K. Subban (game high 9 SOG) couldn’t solve Lundqvist. The Habs’ dangerous defenseman actually took 18 shots with six attempts never making it while another three missed completely. For a second consecutive game, he struggled defensively. Despite teaming with Gorges to match-up against Kreider, the tandem were on for the Rangers’ first two goals. Subban also took out frustration getting a roughing minor that gave the Rangers a power play they were unable to cash in on.

Still nursing a one-goal lead, the Rangers benefited from a weak call on Alex Galchenyuk. With Carl Hagelin skating by, he was nabbed for tripping. But replays showed that Hagelin was already going down with Galchenyuk hardly making contact. It was a bad call which Therrien alluded to in the postgame. His team didn’t get the job done.

Instead, they allowed a crucial power play goal to Martin St. Louis at 8:03 that increased the Rangers’ lead to 3-1. On the play, Stepan and McDonagh played catch down low before Stepan perfectly set up St. Louis for a rocket that went thru a Kreider screen top shelf. Neither Canadien defenseman took Kreider making Tokarski blameless. Aside from maybe not getting across fast enough on Nash’s tally, he played well making 30 saves including some key ones that gave his team a chance.

”It was a lot of fun,” Tokarski admitted on his first postseason start. ”There was a lot of adrenaline. You grow up as a kid wanting to play in the playoffs, and I got the opportunity and just came up a bit short.”

”He’s a winner,” Therrien added in reference to Tokarski’s resume which includes a Memorial Cup, WJC gold and Calder Cup. ”I thought he played well. We talked to Peter [Budaj] and he reacted as a pro. He’s a good teammate.”

Therrien has an interesting decision when the series shifts to MSG. Does he stick with Tokarski, who got better as the game went on or go back to Budaj, who might be a better play on the road? Coincidentally, the last time these teams met, the Rangers climbed out of an 0-2 deficit by winning twice in Montreal before finishing it off in six. It’s far from over.

Henrik Lundqvist battles Brendan Gallagher in front during Game 2. He made 40 saves leading the Rangers to a 3-1 win over the Canadiens.
AP Photo/The Canadian Press/Graham Hughes

With 10 holdovers from the 2011-12 team that lost in the same round to the Devils, they shouldn’t need any reminders. Listening to Lundqvist speak to the press afterwards was a treat. He mentioned how he felt last time, he didn’t think they gave all they could including himself. He talked about how that team didn’t reach its full potential. This time, they seem very focused. A big reason for that is the leadership of Brad Richards, who along with St. Louis got the message across not to take it for granted. Neither has been back to the Stanley Cup Final since winning a decade ago.

”The Canadiens were coming wave after wave in the first period,” St. Louis said after extending his point streak to four straight (3-2-5). ”If it wasn’t for Lundqvist, there might have been a different result after the first.

”He gave us time to find our legs. The goal by Mac was a big one. It calmed everyone down and allowed us to regroup.”

Despite allowing 19 shots in the third, the Rangers let Lundqvist see every one. The Canadiens didn’t get enough traffic. Even with Brendan Gallagher and Tomas Plekanec getting point blank chances while Subban bombed away, they couldn’t get one by a locked in Lundqvist. This is as good as I’ve ever seen him play. He’s playing the way Mike Richter did during some other run that resulted in a championship.

It wasn’t as if they sat back. The Rangers had 10 shots themselves but were turned away by Tokarski. They continued to attack playing smart defensive hockey by chipping pucks in and getting pressure. An ill advised boarding penalty by Pouliot, who foolishly caught Alexei Emelin from behind sending him to the locker room with 4:22 left allowed Therrien to pull Tokarski for a 6-on-4. Pouliot is lucky he didn’t receive more than two. The NHL should review the incident because it was that egregious.

When Lundqvist wasn’t eating up Habs shots, his team defense kept them to the outside and of course sacrificed for common good. The Rangers blocked 17 shots led by Dan Girardi (5) with ultimate warrior Brian Boyle blocking three along with Marc Staal, who recovered from a sluggish start. They may have lost on faceoffs 34-29 but they won key ones including several from Boyle and a couple of notables from Stepan.

Overall, it was a great team effort that allowed them to take both games in Montreal. Now, the Habs have the unenviable task of needing to win four of five. For the Rangers, they can’t be satisfied. The next game is the key.

BONY 3 Stars:

3rd Star-Derek Stepan, NYR (2 assists, 4 SOG, 9-for-14 on draws in 29 shifts-19:10-strong defensively)

2nd Star-Ryan McDonagh, NYR (goal-3rd, assist, team high 6 SOG, 2-3-5 vs Habs, +1 in 33 shifts-25:24-Mac Truck)

1st Star-Henrik Lundqvist, NYR (40 saves incl. 13/14 in 1st, 8/8 in 2nd, 19/19 in 3rd-the crown jewel)

Maybe Brandon Prust and Michel Therrien knew Carey Price’s injury was serious enough to keep him out the rest of the series. Therrien delivered the bad news after the morning skate at Bell Centre.

It’s a big blow to the Canadiens. They lost their best player. During the second period of Game 1, Rangers forward Chris Kreider collided with Price following a breakaway banging into the goalie’s right knee. On the play, Montreal defenseman Alexei Emelin dove and got a piece of Kreider with his stick sending him flying into Price. He was unable to control his momentum which was unfortunate. Price stayed in the game but was replaced by Peter Budaj for the third period.

When Therrien was noncommittal yesterday, that was probably a tip off that Price wouldn’t be available. He now must decide between Budaj and Dustin Tokarski for Game 2. It looks like he’s going with Tokarski. An interesting decision considering that Budaj has been a reliable backup. Perhaps allowing three goals Sunday made Therrien change his mind.

The extent of Tokarski’s career versus the Rangers is one appearance as a member of the Lightning on Jan. 19, 2010. He allowed three goals on 11 shots in 24:21. HT Mike Morreale. In three games with the Canadiens this season, he went 2-0 with a 1.84 goals-against-average, .946 save percentage and one shutout. Originally a Tampa Bay ’08 fifth round pick, he was acquired by Montreal last year for Cedrick Desjardins. He’s 24 and has won a Memorial Cup, WJC gold and a Calder Cup. He’ll face a lot more pressure tonight.

Maybe Therrien just prefers to go with a guy the Rangers haven’t seen. Sometimes, playing a virtual unknown can work. Bruce Boudreau did it with Semyon Varlamov once. Paul Maurice masterfully replaced Arturs Irbe with Kevin Weekes. If it doesn’t work, he has Budaj in reserve.

No matter what, the task remains the same for the Rangers. They should expect the Habs’ best game. The crowd will be even more fired up. Expect them to let Kreider have it. They’re passionate fans who will try to rally their club. Montreal might get back Alex Galchenyuk. That would be a big boost. He’s got game breaking speed and is very talented.

From a Ranger standpoint, Derick Brassard remains uncertain for tonight. With two days off between Games 2 and 3, coach Alain Vigneault has a tough decision. He can play him knowing there’s an extra day of rest or sit him knowing it runs a risk. Vigneault has options available in Daniel Carcillo and J.T. Miller. Given how effectively Dominic Moore played with Benoit Pouliot and Mats Zuccarello, Vigneault can sub either Carcillo or Miller. Personally, I think Miller is a better fit for this series due to his size, skating and forechecking. If he plays Carcillo, it’ll be just to add toughness in case the Habs take liberties.

Regarding Therrien’s assertion that Kreider’s play was “reckless,” no comment. Kreider has lightning speed and as he took his shot was tripped by Emelin. Therrien referring to Kreider’s reputation is just a way of reminding the refs to keep an eye on him. I hope Kreider doesn’t let it affect him. He must continue to stay aggressive. If their players want to take penalties, that benefits the Rangers.

It all shapes up as an exciting storyline for Game 2. How will the Canadiens come out? Will they use it as motivation or look for revenge? The Rangers must control their emotions. They also still have that losing streak when leading a series. It should be interesting.

It only took a day for the Canadiens to complain about something. During yesterday’s Rangers 7-2 Game 1 thumping, Chris Kreider fell awkwardly into Carey Price in the second period. He got by Alexei Emelin and broke in on Price firing a shot over the net. As he attempted his shot, Emelin’s stick tripped Kreider causing him to collide into Price’s right knee.

Fortunately, Price stayed in the game before getting yanked after the second period. He didn’t practice today. Montreal coach Michel Therrien didn’t indicate whether Price will start tomorrow for Game 2.

With much of the attention on Price, Brandon Prust decided to voice his opinion on the collision. The former Ranger said Kreider ran into Price “accidentally on purpose.” Not shockingly, Therrien agreed.

“I reviewed the incident,” he told reporters. “Obviously, it was an accidental contact, but let’s put it this way, he didn’t make much effort to avoid the contact.

“I’m sure the intention of the player was not to hit the goalie, but you have to try to do everything in your power to avoid contact and it’s tough to say if he tried everything to avoid that contact.”

Let’s make it perfectly clear that Therrien is right that the attacking player is supposed to try to avoid contact. In reviewing it, Kreider was tripped by Emelin as he attempted his shot causing him to lose balance. His momentum carried him into Price. Where was he supposed to go? I don’t think he had enough time to prevent the collision.

Leave it to Prust to stir things up. The same player who early in the third period lost his discipline slashing Kreider and roughed him up. For his stupidity, he was assessed a double minor for slashing and unsportsmanlike conduct and given an extra 10 for a misconduct. He later referenced being frustrated with Kreider for running into Price. Fittingly, the Rangers made Prust pay by scoring twice with Derek Stepan and Rick  Nash connecting on the power play to make it 7-1.

So much for any respect I had for Prust. While I do understand why he opened his mouth, it’s amusing. I don’t remember him complaining much during his stint with the Rangers. Maybe it’s a Canadien thing. Montreal has a tendency to gripe when things don’t go their way. If Kreider’s accidental collision with Price is what’s bothering them, they have issues. They got humiliated on home ice. If they want to even the series, the Habs must be much better tomorrow night.

Amusingly, the controversy has trended on Twitter. #Brandon Prust, #Kreider and #Price are front and center. “Accidentally on Purpose” has been used by Canadiens and Rangers fans.

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)

With a goal in the Rangers’ 7-2 win in Game 1 over the Canadiens, Rick Nash finally snapped a 17-game playoff goal drought.

Finally, Rick Nash scored. After going the first 14 games without a goal, the much discussed Rangers forward finally got off the snide. It came in the third period of the Rangers’ 7-2 Game 1 win over the Canadiens. On the back end of an extended power play, Nash got the monkey off his back when he beat Peter Budaj extending the Rangers’ lead to 7-1. Ironically, I called it.

https://twitter.com/NewYorkPuck/status/467744318808391683

Nash was having a good offensive game generating quality chances and assisting on Chris Kreider’s huge breakaway tally with 61 seconds left in the second period. At the time, the Rangers were clinging onto a 2-1 lead in a period the Canadiens dominated. Montreal had already sliced a two-goal deficit to one on a goal from Rene Bourque. A key Rangers penalty kill prevented them from even getting a shot. Before Kreider scored, Henrik Lundqvist stoned former teammate Brandon Prust. Brad Richards added a crusher with under 12 seconds left giving them a 4-1 lead after two.

At one point, the Rangers scored on three straight shots in a 2:29 span. After Ryan McDonagh tallied, Derek Stepan and Nash each notched power play goals. Stepan’s came on a 5-on-3 perfectly set up by the combination of Martin St. Louis and McDonagh. Twenty-five seconds later, Nash finally got one to go after taking a Mats Zuccarello feed in the slot. John Moore added a secondary helper.

It was important for Nash to score. Dating back to last year’s second round against Boston, he had gone 17 consecutive games without a goal in the postseason. From a psychological standpoint, it can only be a huge confidence boost. Even though he hasn’t been scoring, Nash has done the other things to help the team advance including finishing checks and blocking shots. It’s nice to see him finally break through.

Nash and Stepan become more essential if Derick Brassard can’t return. With Kreider flying, it’s encouraging. In Game 1, all three scored. A big series from the top line is a recipe for success.