New York Rangers vs. Montreal Canadiens Predictions, Picks and Preview – 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs – Eastern Conference First Round Game Two – April 14, 2017
The New York Rangers picked up where they left off from 2014 as they beat the Montreal Canadiens 2-0 in Game 1 of their first-round series. After losing four of their last five road games to end the regular season, the Rangers – who had the most road wins in the league with 27 – rediscovered their ability to win away from home ice.
Unsurprisingly, Henrik Lunqvist played a huge part in their Game 1 win. The 35-year-old hardly looked like a goalie who just came off the worst regular season of his career, and one who had lost all three starts against Montreal. King Henrik was immense in Game 1, as he saved all 31 Habs shots to record his 10th career postseason shutout.
The Rangers offense, which finished fourth in the league with 3.05 goals per game, was held to just one goal from Tanner Glass before Michael Grabner added an empty-net clincher in the dying seconds, but it proved to be enough.
With the quality of goalies on display, this series has the potential to be a very hard-fought, possibly low-scoring affair. But if that ends up being the case, you’d still trust the Rangers’ attack over the Canadiens’ to eventually get enough goals.
The good news for the Habs: Carey Price played pretty well in Game 1. He kept the Rangers’ prolific offense quiet for the most part, stopping 29 of 30 shots. But the bad news was that the suspect Canadiens attack – 2.7 goals per game, 15th in the NHL – struggled again, and couldn’t find a way past King Henrik.
The Habs should expect to see more of the same type of play from Price moving forward. Wednesday’s loss snapped Price’s eight-game win streak against the Rangers. But as good as Price is, he can only do so much.
That’s why the Habs really need their offense to step up and relieve some of the pressure off their star goalie starting in Game 2. They must take advantage of the Rangers’ 21st-ranked penalty kill, in particular. The Habs went 0-of-3 on the power play in Game 1, and now have just one power play goal in their last 21 attempts with the man advantage.
Montreal obviously won’t want to go 0-2 down in this series going to New York, so expect the Habs to come out with a bit more urgency in Game 2.
Writer’s Prediction
The Canadiens earn a split at home with a 3-2 Game 2 win.
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