Rangers, Lundqvist put on a clinic, win opener 3-0

2011-12 Playoff Game No. 15; Home Game No. 9	Rangers lead series 1-0
VIDEO: HIGHLIGHT OF THE GAME
• Full Highlights | Tortorella | Girardi, Kreider | McDonagh, Boyle, Staal		• Melrose CU Save of Game

GAME RECAP Associated Press 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 the Blueshirts 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. "I think it starts with work habits, how hard we want to work," Lundqvist said. "And then the skill takes over. We have been doing it all year." 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. Girardi 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. • COMMENT ON BLUESHIRTS UNITED | PHOTO GALLERY

PHOTO OF THE GAME STATS OF THE GAME The Blueshirts have opened six of their last nine playoff series with a win in Game 1. They have posted a 32-11 series record when winning Game 1, including wins in seven of the last eight playoff series in which they won the opening game. Henrik Lundqvist's shutout was the 12th by a Rangers goaltender all-time in series opening games. The Rangers are 8-3 in playoff series when posting a shutout in Game 1. THREE STARS (selected by the local media) 1. Lundqvist 2. Girardi 3. McDonagh

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THE BIGGER PICTURE This game said so much about this Rangers team and why it is the highest seed remaining in the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs and perhaps the favorite to win the Cup. At a time when they might have been most fatigued, they utterly dominated their opponents.

RANGERS LEADERS Icetime -- Girardi (25:11) Shots -- Del Zotto (6) Hits -- Callahan (5) Blocks -- Girardi, Staal (5) Takeaways -- Callahan (2) Faceoffs -- Richards (21)

NEW YORK RANGERS' GAME 1 LINEUP VS. NEW JERSEY
FORWARD LINES
Left Wing	Center	Right Wing
Carl Hagelin	Brad Richards	Marian Gaborik
Chris Kreider	Derek Stepan	Ryan Callahan
Artem Anisimov	Brian Boyle	Ruslan Fedotenko
Mike Rupp	John Mitchell	Brandon Prust

DEFENSE PAIRINGS
Left Defense	Right Defense
Ryan McDonagh	Dan Girardi
Marc Staal	Anton Stralman
Michael Del Zotto	Stu Bickel
Goaltenders: Henrik Lundqvist, Martin Biron Starting Lineup: Lundqvist, Staal, Del Zotto, Hagelin, Richards, Gaborik.

POWER PLAY UNITS
FORWARD LINES
Left Wing	Center	Right Wing
Ryan Callahan	Derek Stepan	Marian Gaborik
Chris Kreider	Artem Anisimov	Carl Hagelin

POINT MEN
Left Point	Right Point
Brad Richards	Dan Girardi
Del Zotto/Staal	Anton Stralman

PENALTY KILLING UNITS
FORWARD UNITS
Forward	Forward
Prust/Callahan	Brian Boyle
Ruslan Fedotenko	Derek Stepan

DEFENSE PAIRINGS
Left Defense	Right Defense
Marc Staal	Dan Girardi
Michael Del Zotto	Ryan McDonagh