(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); You must login or register to view this content.

    New York Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist (top) jumps Montreal Canadiens' Max Pacioretty (67) after a collision in the net.

Photograph by: Christinne Muschi, Reuters

MONTREAL — Carey Price turned aside 31 shots to post his 22nd win of the NHL season as the Montreal Canadiens beat the New York Rangers 3-2 on Saturday night.

The win allowed the Canadiens to remain in seventh place in the Eastern Conference standings, two points behind the Northeast Division-leading Boston Bruins.

“It was definitely a game of momentum,” said Price, who faced 21 shots in the third period after the Rangers tested him with six in each of the first two periods. “I thought we had (the momentum) for most of the game but they grabbed it in the third.

“It felt like we played the whole third period in our end. They did a good job of cycling down low. They’re as good team and they were battling and they did a good job of finding guys in the middle of the ice.”

Special teams played a key role as the Canadiens took a 3-1 lead in the first period.

After spotting the Rangers the first goal, the Canadiens scored on their first two power-play opportunities.

Defenceman Roman Hamrlik tied the score at 13:19 when he beat Henrik Lundqvist on a shot from the point. The shot was deflected by the Rangers’ Artem Anisimov. Canadiens forward Mathieu Darche was standing in front of the goalie and the shot went through his legs and between Lundqvist’s pads.

Centre Tomas Plekanec gave the Canadiens a 2-1 lead when he scored on a power play at 14:50. Plekanec was at the side of the net to the right of Lundqvist and he was set up on a pass from the point by defenceman P.K. Subban.

Defenceman James Wisniewski assists on the two power-play goals and has nine points in the eight games since he was acquired from the New York Islanders.

Forward Andrei Kostitsyn ended a nine-game goal drought at 16:03 when he connected on a 25-foot slapshot after Jeff Halpern chased down a loose puck behind the Rangers’ net. Kostitsyn has 11 goals but only two since Nov. 27.

“We got a great performance tonight from the special teams,” Canadiens coach Jacques Martin said. “The power play got us two goals and numerous chances.

“If it weren’t for their goaltender, we could have put the game away in the second period. The score could easily have been four or five to one at the end of two periods.”

There was no scoring in the second period but the Canadiens continued to test Lundqvist on the power play. They had the advantage twice and fired nine shots on goal. The Canadiens finished the night 2-for-4 on the power play with 12 shots on goal.

The penalty-killing unit, which allowed four goals in a 5-2 loss to Pittsburgh on Wednesday, returned to form. The Rangers came up empty on four power plays and managed only five shots on goal with the extra man.

Mats Zuccarello brought the Rangers to within one goal when he scored on a rebound of his own shot from the slot at 6:57 of the third period. The Rangers’ best chance to tie the game was when Brian Boyle hit the crossbar with about nine minutes remaining in the game. Price also came up with a win-preserving save on a Wojtek Wolski backhander with 4:21 to play.

Montreal Gazette
© Copyright (c) The Montreal Gazette

--
Habs gonna come back?