Associated Press
Chris Kreider scored the go-ahead goal and then set up Brad Richards' insurance tally 90 seconds later in the third period to lift the Rangers to a 3-1 victory over the Washington Capitals on Saturday in the opening game of the Eastern Conference semifinal series.
Kreider, who earlier this month helped Boston College win the NCAA championship, scored the second goal of his NHL career -- and these playoffs -- and he did it at the perfect time to give the Rangers a 2-1 lead 7:00 into the third.
Both Kreider's goals have been playoff game-winners. He also had the deciding marker in the Rangers' Game 6 victory at Ottawa when the Rangers played the first of two potential elimination games in the first round.
Richards made it a two-goal lead off a feed from Kreider, and gave a two-fisted punch into the glass behind goalie Braden Holtby to celebrate his third goal of the playoffs. It marked the first time that Washington trailed by two goals in the playoffs.
Henrik Lundqvist earned the win, and needed to make only 17 saves to do it.
Artem Anisimov scored in the first period for the Rangers, who played without injured forwards Brian Boyle and Brandon Dubinsky. Boyle missed his third straight game because of a concussion sustained in Game 5 of the first-round series against Ottawa. Dubinsky was hurt in the third period Thursday night when New York edged the Senators 2-1 to win Game 7.
• COMMENT ON BLUESHIRTS UNITED | PHOTO GALLERY
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STAT OF THE GAME
The Blueshirts have opened five of their last eight playoff series with a win in Game 1. New York has posted a 31-11 series record when winning Game 1, including wins in six of the last seven playoff series in which the Rangers won the opening game. |
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| (selected by the local media) |
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| 1. Kreider |
2. Richards |
3. Fedotenko |
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[42-32-8]
[51-24-7]