Elias Sports Bureau conducted a Twitter takeover on MSG Networks’ official handle throughout Game 1 of the first round of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs!
[Rangers-Canadiens Channel Listings]
Here’s the complete breakdown, courtesy of Elias Sports Bureau:
First Period
- Rangers are facing an Original 6 team in playoffs for the third time in last five years … they did so only once from 1987–2012, beating MTL (1996).
- Derek Stepan’s 86th playoff game for the Rangers. He will pass Don Maloney into sole possession of 5th place in team history.
- A positive sign: the Rangers had a 32–14–3 record this season in games in which Ryan McDonagh, Dan Girardi, and Marc Staal all played.
- Trivia for trivia’s sake: The Rangers have played 10 previous playoff games on April 12 and won them all.
- Henrik Lundqvist’s 1.61 goals-allowed average in the 1st period of playoff games is the lowest in NHL history (min: 20 games).
- Lundqvist has started every Rangers playoff game since Game 3 vs. Devils in 2006.
- What’s at stake: The team scoring first won 19 of last 21 regular-season Rangers-Canadiens games and nine of their last 11 playoff meetings.
- The Canadiens were 0-for-19 on the power play in their last six regular-season home games against the Rangers.
- Kevin Hayes led the NHL with six shorthanded assists this season, one short of the team record set by Mark Messier in 1993–94.
- The Canadiens scored only two power-play goals in their last 11 regular-season games against the Rangers.
Second Period
- Over past three seasons, the Rangers have 17-6 record when leading playoff games at the first intermission.
- Most assists by rookie Rangers defenseman: Brian Leetch 48 (1988–89), Reijo Ruotsalainen 38 (1981–82), Ron Greschner 37 (1974–75), Brady Skjei 34 (2016–17).
- The only men to serve as head coach of both the Rangers & Canadiens were Alain Vigneault & Bernie Geoffrion.
- Shea Weber: 17 goals this season, tying the Canadiens record for a defenseman in his first season with the team.
Third Period
- Jesper Fast: plus-13 in the third period this season, tied with Michael Grabner for the Rangers lead.
- Lundqvist: 11–8 with a 2.30 goals-allowed average (one shutout) in Game 1 of a playoff series.
- Since 1996, the Rangers have a 26-4 record after leading by one goal at the 2nd intermission.
- Most third-period goals this season: 13–Grabner (Rangers), Max Pacioretty (Canadiens), and Nikita Kucherov (Lightning).
- The Rangers have won only one shutout in a playoff game at Montreal: by Chuck Rayner in the clinching game of the 1950 semifinals.
- Lundqvist has won four playoff games by a 1-0 score, including Game 6 of the 2014 Eastern Conference Final vs. Montreal.
- No visiting team has won by shutout at Montreal in the Canadiens’ postseason opener since Buffalo in 1983 (Bob Sauve in goal).
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