Rangers 3, Devils 0


 
NEW YORK (AP) Rangers rookie Chris Kreider and defenseman Dan Girardi both had a goal and an assist in the third period, and Henrik Lundqvist stopped 21 shots for his fifth career playoff shutout, as weary New York opened the Eastern Conference finals with a 3-0 victory over the well-rested New Jersey Devils on Monday night.

Playing just two days after eliminating Washington in a stirring 2-1 Game 7 victory, the top-seeded Rangers hit their home ice again and won their third straight Game 1 of these playoffs. The Devils had been off for five days since they knocked out the Philadelphia Flyers in five games.

No team forced to play seven-game series in each of the first two rounds has gone on to win the Stanley Cup, but the Rangers are determined to be the first. Shaking off suggestions they are tired, the Rangers slogged through two scoreless periods and pulled out a win with a dominating third period.

The Rangers are in the conference finals for the first time since 1997, and they haven't reached the Stanley Cup finals since 1994 when they beat 22-year-old goalie Martin Brodeur and the Devils in a classic seven-game series that backed up captain Mark Messier's guarantee.

New Jersey is making its first conference finals appearance since 2003, the year the Devils won the Cup for the third time.

Game 2 is Wednesday night in New York.

Girardi, who struggled at times with his defensive duties, got a perfect setup from Kreider and scored 53 seconds into the third period. Playing in just his 13th NHL game, all in these playoffs, Kreider sent a pass back from the right circle in the Devils' zone to the point. Girardi took long strides as he charged up ice and stepped into a shot that ripped through a screen in front by teammate Derek Stepan. The shot beat Brodeur for Girardi's second playoff goal this season and second in 47 career postseason games.

The other assist went to 21-year-old defenseman Michael Del Zotto, who along with Kreider was only 3 when these teams last met in the conference finals in '94.

Girardi also earned a secondary assist on Kreider's power-play goal with 8 minutes remaining that made it 2-0. New York's slumping power play connected after Girardi was drilled hard from behind into the boards by Devils forward Steve Bernier.

Artem Anisimov, who also assisted on Kreider's goal, scored into an empty net to make it 3-0 with 1:27 left.

Brodeur heard sing-song chants of ''Mar-ty, Mar-ty'' before the game started. Those got much louder after Girardi's goal, and even more taunting after Kreider scored as the blue-shirt wearing, towel-waving fans' excitement grew. Brodeur finished with 25 saves.

Girardi nearly was a part of an insurance goal halfway through the third period when Brodeur blocked his shot from the right point. It bounced out to defense partner Marc Staal, who stared at a gaping net, but Brodeur lunged back just in time to keep his rebound attempt out.

Lundqvist showed no signs of fatigue and was solid throughout in posting his second shutout of these playoffs.

To no one's surprise, the teams were still tied heading into the third period, but not because of a lack of chances.

Lundqvist was sharp in turning aside pucks that sneaked through the wall of teammates that blocked so many shots. He was at his best while the Rangers were on a power play late in the second period.

Zach Parise had the puck to the left of the net and snapped off a forehand that Lundqvist blocked. Parise got another whack at the rebound, and was again denied. Given one more chance with a backhander, Parise failed to break the deadlock with a short-handed goal.

It wasn't the first bit of frustration in the series opener for the Devils captain. Parise was caught from behind by hard-charging defenseman Ryan McDonagh to thwart a first-period breakaway before Parise could get a shot on Lundqvist

McDonagh made the most of his 22-year-old legs, and showed no signs of fatigue from 14 previous playoff games this season, when he also chased down Ilya Kovalchuk in the first period. Lundqvist made a stop at the end of the charge.

The Devils also peppered Lundqvist in the opening minutes of the second period. Lundqvist fought to see between a maze of players and even gave a shove to the back of teammate Anton Stralman, trying to move the defenseman out of his line of sight.

Brodeur also was sharp at the other end, even shaking off a collision with teammate Marek Zidlicky, who got tangled with Rangers forward Brandon Prust. Brodeur's mask was knocked off after the whistle.

Notes: The Rangers held an 18-17 edge in shots through 40 minutes, but New York also blocked 18 other Devils attempts. ... Brodeur, who has 24 postseason shutouts, made his 183rd consecutive playoff start for the Devils. He is the only player from the 1994 series still in the NHL. ... Kreider, who made his debut on April 16 at Ottawa, has three goals in the playoffs.