MONTREAL -- Tanner Glass scored in the first period and Henrik Lundqvist made 31 saves as the New York Rangers defeated the Montreal Canadiens 2-0 in the opening game of their NHL playoff series on Wednesday night.
Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is set for Friday night at Bell Centre.
Michael Grabner added an empty-net goal with 1:10 left to play.
Shots were 31-31 in a fast-paced game with plenty of chances at both ends. Lundqvist looked to be fighting the puck as Montreal had a 16-5 first-period shot advantage but managed to keep the puck out if his net.
The Canadiens are looking to a avenge a six-game loss in the first round to New York in 2014, a series in which Carey Price was injured in the opening game on a hit from Chris Kreider. This time, Kreider pulled up when barrelling toward Price in the first period.
Fired up by 1960s pop star Ginette Reno's national anthem, the Canadiens were all over New York in the opening period, but it was the Rangers who struck first 9:50 on only their third shot. Tomas Plekanec won a draw in the Montreal zone, but fourth line winger Glass pounded on it and lifted a backhand from the slot over Price's shoulder.
The Rangers turned the tables in the first half of the second frame, but Price held Montreal in the game. New York had a two-man advantage late in the period but couldn't get a second goal.
The Rangers had a league-high 27 road wins in the regular season.
