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Get your game notes: Canadiens at Rangers

New York Rangers v Montreal Canadiens - Game Five

MONTREAL, QC - MAY 27: Max Pacioretty #67 of the Montreal Canadiens is mobbed by his teammates after scoring a second period goal at 3:44 as Henrik Lundqvist #30 of the New York Rangers looks on during Game Five of the Eastern Conference Final in the 2014 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Bell Centre on May 27, 2014 in Montreal, Canada. (Photo by Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images)

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Tonight on NBCSN, it’s the New York Rangers hosting the Montreal Canadiens at 8 p.m. ET. Following are some game notes, as compiled by the NHL on NBC research team:

--- Despite erasing a 4-1 deficit by scoring 3 goals in a span of 4:24 in the 2nd period of Game 5, the Rangers could not close out the series as Montreal scored 3 unanswered goals after that to stave off elimination.


  • The 7 goals scored were the most in a playoff game by the Canadiens since 1992 & the most in a Conf. Finals (or NHL Semifinals) for them since 1975.
  • The 7 goals allowed were the most in a playoff game by the Rangers since 1996.
  • The 11 combined goals marked the highest scoring game of this postseason.
  • Montreal led for 55:34 of Game 5 compared to leading for only 2:50 total in the first 4 games of the series.

--- Montreal is averaging 3.19 goals/game in these playoffs (L.A. is tops at 3.42). The Canadiens opened the postseason as the only team to score 3+ goals in their first 7 games (3.86 average, 6-1 record) but, prior to Tuesday night’s scoring outburst, Montreal had not found the back of the net with the same consistency:


  • Montreal scored 8 total goals in Games 1-4 of this series & 7 in Game 5.
  • New York is currently averaging 2.37 goals against/game this postseason – best of the remaining teams & the second lowest total behind Boston’s 2.17 for these playoffs.

--- Montreal is 3-0 in games when facing elimination this postseason. In NHL history, only 1 team, the 1999-2000 Devils, has won a Conf. Finals (or NHL Semifinals) series when down 3-games-to-1 (66 tries). Montreal is 0-6 all-time in that situation & 2-14 all-time in postseason series when trailing 3-1. The Canadiens have never forced a Game 7 in a Conf. Finals series in which it trailed 3-games-to-1. Elias Sports Bureau

--- Henrik Lundqvist, who will extend his franchise record of consecutive postseason starts to 86 tonight, was pulled in the 2nd period of Game 5 after allowing 4 goals on 19 shots. He had previously been pulled in 3 playoff games (NYR lost all 3), & holds a 1-2 record, 3.00 GAA & .887 SV% in the game following being pulled:

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--- Lundqvist in the last 5 postseason games in which the Rangers have a chance to clinch the series but do not face elimination (no Game 7s) has not fared well: 0-4 record, 5.52 GAA, .808 SV% (NYR have lost all 5 games, Cam Talbot took loss in Tuesday’s game).

--- Rene Bourque tallied his first career postseason hat trick in Game 5 & first by a MTL player in a Conf. Finals (or NHL Semifinals) since 1975 (Guy Lafleur). Elias Sports Bureau


  • Bourque has 8 goals in 16 gms this postseason (t-2nd in playoffs); he had 9 goals in 63 gms during the reg. season.

--- In Game 5, the Rangers’ top line of Chris Kreider (1 goal, 3 assists), Derek Stepan (2 goals) & Rick Nash (1 goal, 1 assist) combined for 8 points. Kreider, Stepan & Nash have combined for 20 points (9 goals) in this series.

--- Montreal scored on the power play for the second consecutive game in Game 5 going 1-4 with the man advantage while the Rangers went 1-7 in the game. The Canadiens have gone 2-21 (10%) in the series on the PP while New York has scored on 5 of its 22 (23%) PP opportunities in this series.