The in-jest remark comes after Vigneault on Monday revealed that Rangers general manager Jeff Gorton and Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin made a gentlemen's agreement before the series that the clubs would not watch the other team's practice on non-game days; they're permitted to do so for morning skates the day of the game.
Montreal isn't as good offensively as the Rangers in averaging 2.7 goals per game.
So, the Rangers top guns need to find a way to break through against Price in Game Two and beyond; but Glass, and Lundqvist, provide the cushion of a 1-0 series lead.
Wednesday: at Montreal, 7 p.m. Absorb the pressure and throw the puck at the net when you can, especially when Carey Price is between the pipes. Montreal is the series betting favourite this time on Sports Interaction NHL odds. The Rangers have 10 previous participants.
NY lost all three meetings with Montreal in the regular season, scoring seven total goals. They have had long series' all the way up to the finish.
Note: Jeff Blashill of the Red Wings was named coach of the USA men's hockey team that will compete in the world championships next month in a key tuneup ahead of next year's Winter Olympics. The smallest forwards on the ice tangled with each other numerous times in Game 1.
"My game doesn't change".
The Rangers are a stellar +35 on goal differential this season, better than Montreal's stat from the same point of view of (+26).
Injured soccer player: bus attack 'hardest 15 minutes of my life'
However, their hopes of securing a positive result were dashed by a brilliant goal from Mbappe in the 79 minute. Tuchel now has to prepare his side to face Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga this weekend.
In all, NY has speed and several players in the lineup who can score.
Getting a two game lead in a series has been a bit of a rarity in the past six post-seasons.
But for all his talent, the third overall pick from the 2012 draft has had a hard time convincing previous Habs coach Michel Therrien and then Julien, who took over on February 14, that he is a legitimate top-line centre. Both teams won 28 faceoffs, the shots were 31-31 and the hits were 53-45 in favour of the Canadiens in what was a very physical affair.
The New York goalie survived a shaky first period to make 31 saves in the Rangers' 2-0 victory Wednesday night in their playoff opener. And their top line of Chris Kreider, Derek Stepan and Chris Kreider led the team's scoring and possession.
The Canadiens, an organization known for its commitment to pageantry, are preparing a big to-do ahead of the series opener, including the return of the Fan Jam outside the arena and what will surely be an impressive pre-game show inside. They are tied at 21 for the least amount of home wins among playoff teams with the Toronto Maple Leafs. "His focus and determination really fed to the rest of the team".
By no means was this victory easy - and this series is far from over after one exciting contest - but the Rangers most definitely fired the first resounding salvo of the 2017 post-season.
It wasn't ideal, few victories are - especially those earned in the playoffs against high-quality opposition - but there was so much to like about the New York Rangers start to the playoffs. "It's two of the best in the world going at it".
"We can definitely get better in the board battles", Julien said. "He gave up a lot of rebounds but we didn't get there". Lundqvist is 14-17-3 in the regular season overall against the Canadiens, one of three National Hockey League teams he has a losing record against. Game one was a huge confidence booster for Lundqvist. Claude Julien is using them in the latter role (one defensive-zone, four offensive-zone starts), which is burying better offensive talents; namely Paul Byron (3, 1), Brendan Gallagher (3, 0), Andrew Shaw (3, 0) and Artturi Lehkonen (2, 1). When you get that, you're a tough team to play. But you have to take advantage of it.
Comments