The Montreal Canadiens knew that the New York Rangers were going to be an entirely different beast than their second round opponents, the Boston Bruins, yet somehow got thoroughly outplayed at home Saturday afternoon to open the NHL’s Eastern Conference final to the tune of a 7-2 loss. It was a game defined by two teams apparently in completely different places mentally from the drop of the puck.
For Montreal, it was like being on top of the world one day, and being kicked around in the gutter the next. The emotional high of playing their best hockey of the season to defeat the Bruins in seven games was swept away by the opportunistic, quick-strike offense of the Rangers.
ECF Game 1
The Blueshirts scored two goals in under two minutes during the first period, added two more in the final 1:01 of the second and then pumped in three power play goals in just 3:08 in the third, after frustration started to boil over for the Habs.
Canadiens coach Michel Therrien admitted that his team wasn’t prepared. “You don’t need to make many adjustments when you are not ready mentally,” said Therrien. “There were a lot of mental errors.”
As if a blow-out in front of the faithful at the Bell Centre wasn’t bad enough, now injury concerns have popped up for star Habs goalie Carey Price. He was pulled after allowing four goals on 20 shots through two periods and back-up Peter Budaj came out to start the third period (though he fared little better, stopping just five of eight). Price was run into by Rangers forward Chris Kreider earlier in the game, prompting those injury concerns. Whether he was bothered by the run-in or just had a mental lapse, Price’s status for game two has many in Montreal worried.
As to be expected, as bleak as the outcome was for the Canadiens, game one was the polar opposite for the Rangers. Coach Alain Vigneault has done a masterful job this post-season, as he had his troops fired up and full of energy, even after two tough, seven-game series’. He rolled his lines with ease and every player (except for forward Derick Brassard, who left the game after only two shifts favoring his left shoulder) played at least ten minutes. Check out our friends at Sports Injury Alert for any updates on the status of Price and Brassard.
It was, without a doubt, another emotional game for the entire Rangers organization. Forward Marty St. Louis, who recently lost his mother, continues to play some great hockey through troubling times, adding a goal and an assist.
The emotion St. Louis showed on that opening goal, and indeed has been displaying since his mother passed, has been a galvanizing force for the Rangers. Despite only being with the team since the trade deadline, he’s endeared himself to the Rangers’ locker room and his teammates have been playing some incredible hockey in support of their mourning teammate. In fact, the entire team will be attending the funeral today ahead of game two tomorrow, as a show of respect and support.
The depth for New York was also quite evident in game one, and it’s something the Canadiens may have trouble matching. Seven different Rangers had multi-point games, lead by defenceman Ryan Mcdonagh with four, forward Mats Zuccarello with three, and sniper Rick Nash who finally broke through with his first goal of the playoffs.
One thing is certain, that the Habs can ill afford to lose another game at home in this series, especially with Henrik Lundqvist guarding New York’s crease. While the King was somewhat pedestrian in game one, his ability to raise his level of play in crucial elimination games could put the Canadiens in an insurmountable hole should they fall down 2-0.
With game one now in the books, the questions for the Canadiens are numerous. How does Montreal respond? How can they fight against a team that is both playing at the top of it’s game and buoyed by emotional momentum? Can Price come back with a better performance? We’ll get the answer to those questions on Monday.
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