The Canadian Press
Denis P. Gorman
NEW YORK–Montreal Canadiens’ coach Claude Julien happily will take the result of his team’s efforts.
“I thought it was a really good road game. It wasn’t mistake-free and no games are,” noted Julien after the Canadiens’ 3-1 win over the N.Y. Rangers in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference quarter-final series last night.
“I thought our guys were really focused from start to finish,” he remarked.
“I thought we did a good job defensively and offensively but also our special teams were very good tonight, too.”
Montreal leads the best-of-seven set 2-1, with Game 4 set for tomorrow night at Madison Square Garden.
“All the guys did a great job,” said Shea Weber who, along with Artturi Lehkonen, scored power-play goals for the Canadiens.
Alexander Radulov added a spectacular even-strength goal late in the third.
Carey Price made 20 saves to earn the win.
Despite a strong 26-save performance from Henrik Lundqvist, New York dropped its second-straight game in the series and its sixth-straight playoff home game.
In that stretch, dating back to Game 2 of the 2015 Eastern Conference final, New York has been outscored by an aggregate 20-4 at Madison Square Garden.
New York’s 21-16-4 home record in the regular season was the worst of all 16 teams in the playoffs.
Brady Skjei’s goal at 17:04 of the third was New York’s lone goal and ruined Price’s shutout bid.
It took 37:37 spanning the first and second periods for either goalie to be solved.
When the ice was broken, it was Lehkonen one-timing a goal-line feed from Brendan Gallagher for a power-play goal.
It was Lehkonen’s first in the playoffs and his third in three career games against New York.
“He’s one of those people who’s been through a lot in his career,” Julien said of the rookie left winger.
“Not too much fazes him.”
Until Lehkonen’s goal, the game almost was a virtual replay of the first two games in that the Canadiens forced the Rangers into playing a style of hockey they aren’t built for.
At their best, the Rangers play a quick puck movement, up-tempo, pressuring style of hockey.
But through much of the first two games and essentially all of Game 3, Montreal forced New York into neutral zone dumps, most of which were cleared with ease.
In doing so, the Canadiens limited New York to 21 shots. By comparison, Montreal was credited with 29 shots on goal.
“They’re playing very well defensively,” said New York coach Alain Vigneault, who added the Rangers’ fourth line of Tanner Glass, Jesper Fast, and Oscar Lindberg has been his best forward combination.
Weber’s power-play goal 7:42 into the third period decided the game.
He one-timed a feed from Alex Galchenyuk past Lundqvist to finish off a sequence that began with Jeff Petry knocking the puck off of Rick Nash’s stick in the defensive zone to start the counter-attack.
Montreal finished the game 2-for-3 on the man advantage while killing all three New York power plays.
“We’re definitely fighting it a little bit,” admitted Rangers’ defenceman Ryan McDonagh.
“We are maybe looking to extend our plays a little bit and it’s costing us scoring opportunities.”
Elsewhere in the NHL playoffs, Edmonton nipped San Jose 1-0 to lead that series 2-1.
Meanwhile, St. Louis beat Minnesota 3-1 and Pittsburgh topped Columbus 5-4 to lead their respective series 3-0.
