NHL Playoffs Highlights: Canadiens Beat Rangers 3-1 In Game 3 To Lead Eastern Conference Quarterfinals 2-1

Alexander Radulov recorded a goal and an assist to help propel the Montreal Canadiens to a 3-1 road victory over the New York Rangers in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference first-round playoff series on Sunday night.

NHL Playoff Highlights: Canadians Top Rangers 3-1 To Lead First-Round Series 2-1

Artturi Lehkonen and Shea Weber added power-play goals and Carey Price stopped 20 shots for the Canadiens, who lead the best-of-seven series 2-1. Game 4 is set for Tuesday at 7 pm EST at Madison Square Garden.

“It’s good, but it’s a best-of-7 series,” Radulov said. “There can be four more games. We can enjoy the moment tonight, then get ready for the next one. There’s nothing done yet, so we have to prepare.

“The next game’s going to be huge. They’re going to come out hard again, so we have to play the same way but with more effort and play good as a team.”

Henrik Lundqvist made 26 saves for the Rangers, and Brady Skjei scored the lone goal for New York, which was 0-3 on the power play and is 0-for-10 in the series, late in the third period.

Lundqvist admitted his team has some work to do, and emphasized that they must concentrate on what they can improve rather than on their opponents’ performances.

“I think it’s important we start with ourselves and not look at what they are doing,” the goalie said. “Let’s start with ourselves. Yes, they are a good team. We have to give more at home, in the playoffs, or we aren’t going to win. We need more, it’s as simple as that.

“Obviously special teams were a big part of the game tonight. I didn’t come up with the saves there on the penalty kill. They made some good plays. Our power play did not get going and get any momentum for us. We all need to be better in the next one.”

Lehkonen opened scoring with a power-play goal at 17:37 of the second period. After J.T. Miller received a penalty for grabbing the puck during a face-off, Lehkonen capped a passing play with Brandon Gallagher and Tomas Plekanec by one-timing Gallagher’s assist from the slot to beat Lundqvist.

Weber, who led all players with 29:08 of ice time, netted Montreal’s second goal with 12:18 left. The Habs defenseman’s shot came after Matz Zuccarello was handed a four-minute penalty for high-sticking Andrei Markov. Weber one-timed Alex Galchenyuk’s assist past Lundqvist from the left circle to give Montreal a 2-0 lead with his first goal of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Radulove scored his goal, his second of the postseason, on a great individual shot with 4:25 remaining in the third.

Price made a brilliant pad save on Michael Grabner’s slap shot from the left circle with 12:52 remaining in the second period. Montreal defenseman Jeff Petry recorded six hits and blocked two shots in 21:29 of ice time.

Kevin Klein made his series debut with the Rangers after being a healthy scratch the first two games. He replaced defenseman Nick Holden, who was a healthy scratch.

In other Stanley Cup Playoff news from Sunday night’s Game 3s, the Minnesota Wild defeated the St. Louis Blues 3-1 to lead their series 3-0, the Edmonton Oilers beat the San Jose Sharks 1-0 to lead the series 2-1, and the Pittsburgh Penguins topped the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-4 in overtime to lead their series 3-0.

Blue Jackets rookie defenseman Zach Werenski is out for the rest of the playoffs after suffering a facial fracture in Game 3 against Pittsburgh on Sunday. Werenski, 19, took a shot from Phil Kessel to the face in the second period. The teenager returned for the part of the third with a protective mask but left and did not play in overtime.

Werenski scored his first NHL playoff goal in the first period. He led rookie defensemen with 47 points (11 goals, 36 assists) and a plus-17 rating in 78 regular-season games.

Article by Pablo Mena