Carey Price spectacular as Rangers fall in Montreal (MTL 3 – NYR 1)
Montreal’s Lars Eller’s game winner 10.25.14 (Photo: Francois Lacasse/NHLI via Getty Images)
The Canadiens stopped the Rangers winning streak at 3, while extending their own to 4 last night at the Bell Centre. Carey Price sparkled as he waved his glove hand like a magician for 34 saves.
Canadiens 3 vs. Rangers 1
NYR at MTL 10.25.14 via ESPN
NY came into Montreal feeling really good about themselves after a character comeback win in NJ. That good feeling was turned away by the stellar goaltending of Carey Price, who flashed leather and shined throughout the contest.
Canadiens coach Michel Therrien said afterwards, “He’s playing like one of the top goalies in the league and tonight was no different.” Price leads the NHL with 6 wins and it was almost surprising that Carl Hagelin was able to break through on him late in the first period to answer a Tomas Plekanec shorthanded goal.
Lars Eller broke the tie in the 2nd period off a mad scramble in front. Lundqvist was looking for the puck in a sea of legs, but it was Eller who found it and put it home. In the 3rd period, Max Pacioretty notched the insurance marker as both Klein and Staal lost coverage down low.
Speaking of goaltender stats, Lundqvist is going through his now customary October doldrums. He is sporting “peasant-like” stats of a 2.14 GAA and a .894 save percentage. Of course, a little more support could’ve helped as noted by Rangers’ coach Alain Vigneault. “They were better in front of both of the nets, plain and simple.”
Anthony Duclair made his return to the lineup and played a decent game in front of his hometown crowd. He downplayed it by calling it “just a hockey game”, but he wanted to win it real bad. He finished the night with 1 assist, 3 shots on goal in 14:15 of ice time.
NY has a 4 game home stand starting Monday night against a very good Minnesota Wild team. The Wild are 4-2 on the season and shutting down opponents with excellent defense and solid goaltending from Darcy Kuemper.
They will give the Rangers all they can handle.
Raging Rangers
Dan Girardi(NYR)
Dan Girardi – Quietly he is having a solid start to this season and continued it last night with an assist and a +1 in over 26 minutes of play.
Derick Brassard – Went 15-9 in the face-off circle last night and has been a bright spot in a department the Rangers are struggling with.
Ryan McDonagh – He fired 5 shots on net while playing stellar D in his own end. The captain is finding his game.
Reeling Rangers
Mats Zuccarello (Getty)
Mats Zuccarello – His lack of productivity is now reaching frightening levels. 1 assist and -5 on the season.
Henrik Lundqvist – Honestly, if this game was in January, he probably would’ve shutout the Canadiens. As it stands he has a GAA over 3 and a SAVE% under 900, those are not very “KINGly”
Marc Staal – He has now gone through a rough patch after a decent start to the season. Staal is a -1 on the year after last night’s -2 performance.
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