Game 1 started off in New York's favour, as goals by Martin St. Louis and Mats Zuccarello scored to put the Rangers up 2-0. It would get worst for the Habs in the second. Chris Kreider would fall on a breakaway and crash into Habs goalie Carey Price. While Price managed to finish the period, he would be replaced in the third and eventually ruled out for the rest of the series. The Habs would get on the board in the second thanks to Rene Bourque. The Rangers would finish the period with 2 quick goals. It only got worst for the Habs in the third, as penalty trouble early in the period saw them concede 3 powerplay goals. A shorthanded goal later in the period was all the Habs could muster, as they got blown out 7-2 but the Rangers. With Dustin Tokarski taking the reigns in net for Game 2, the Habs would come out flying. Max Pacioretty scored 6 minutes in to get the Habs a 1-0 lead. That didn't last long, as Ryan McDonagh scored 20 seconds later to tie the game. Rick Nash would score late in the period to give New York the lead. St. Louis would score in the second to extend the Rangers lead. Despite the Habs best efforts in the third, Henrik Lundqvist would shut the door, as the Rangers would win, and take a 2-0 lead in the series. Game 3 was all New York early, as they put up 14 shots in the first period. Only Carl Hagelin found the back of the net though, as Tokarski kept the Habs in it. Montreal would show a bit more life in the second, and would tie the game up thanks to an Andrei Markov shot. It took until late in the third, but Daniel Briere would give the Habs their first lead of the game. The Rangers pressed late in regulation, and it would pay off. Kreider tipped a shot that would bounce off Alexei Emelin and into the Habs net. In overtime, it was the Habs who received the lucky bounce. A Tomas Plekanec shot would be stopped by Lundqvist, but the rebound bounced off Alex Galchenyuk and into the net. The Habs would take Game 3 and cut the Rangers series lead in half. New York would open the scoring in Game 4, as Hagelin would score shorthanded 7 minutes into the first. Montreal would tie the game up in the second, as Francis Bouillon shot one over Lundqvist's shoulder. Derick Brassard would score late in the period to regain the Rangers lead. It took all of 2 minutes into the third for the Habs to tie it up, as P.K. Subban scored on the powerplay. The Rangers would eventually win the game in overtime. St. Louis found himself alone after a defensive miscue from the Habs and shot it over Tokarski for the game-winner. Montreal would strike early in Game 5, as Galchenyuk scored on the powerplay within the first 2 minutes. Derek Stepan would even the game up midway through the first before Plekanec scored to give the Habs the lead (again). Thinks got crazy in the second, but it was a slow build up. Pacioretty scored just under 4 minutes in, then Rene Bourque scored 3 minutes later to give the Habs a 4-1 lead. Lundqvist would get pulled in favour of Cam Talbot after that goal. Rick Nash would get one back for the Rangers midway through the period. Stepan and Kreider would score in a 2-minute span to tie the game. The tie didn't last long, as Bourque scored to put the Habs in front (again). Bourque would complete his hat trick in the third, as the Habs go on to win a wild one 7-4. The Rangers looked to put the Habs away in Game 6, but couldn't beat Tokarski early on. It took a while, but the Rangers would finally score, as Dominic Moore snuck one past Tokarski late in the second period. The Habs needed a goal in the third, but looked disorganized thoughout the period. The Rangers had little trouble keeping up the pressure and keeping the lead. Lundqvist would record the shutout as New York wins to move on to the Stanley Cup Final. The Rangers eliminate the Habs in 6 games.
Games
New York Rangers 7
Montreal Canadiens 2
New York Rangers 3
Montreal Canadiens 1
Montreal Canadiens 3 (OT)
New York Rangers 2
Montreal Canadiens 2
New York Rangers 3 (OT)
New York Rangers 4
Montreal Canadiens 7
Montreal Canadiens 0
New York Rangers 1
Three Thoughts on the Series
- Really don't want to say too much about the Kreider-Price incident. It was an accident, but thinking about it making my blood boil since it potentially cost the Habs the series.
- Purst Hit: Not necessarily dirty, but definitely late. Moore hit: Not necessarily late, but definitely dirty. Two games for each seems fair.
- I can't recap all the bulls**t that happened in this series, so I'll defer to the great Sean McIndoe (aka Down Goes Brown) for all incident-related analysis (in this series and past).
It was about this moment that the Habs chances of winning this series went out the window.
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| (Image via Canoe Sports) |
Highlight of the Series
All the love to Dustin Tokarski, as he carried the Habs in Price's absence. Here is one (of many) save(s) on St. Louis.
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