By Brian Abate
MONTREAL— The Rangers followed up a big win over the Capitals with a dud of a game against the lowly Ottawa Senators.
The poor play continued in the first period at Montreal and the Rangers found themselves trailing 4-0 early in the second period. They also had to kill off a penalty to keep things from getting worse.
The penalty kill had allowed nine goals in the last four games, but this time they survived the Canadiens’ power play. Seconds later, a cross-ice pass by Artemi Panarin set up Filip Chytil for a goal to cut the lead to 4-1.
Chytil has seven goals and two assists in 12 games since being recalled from the AHL.
Less than a minute later, Pavel Buchnevich scored to make it 4-2. Then Brendan Lemieux, playing with a black eye and a chipped tooth, followed that up by scoring on a deflection to make it a 4-3 game.
Despite the momentum, the Rangers couldn’t convert on a power play opportunity and the Canadiens scored early in the third period to take 5-3 lead.
Seconds later, the Rangers once again responded as Chris Kreider used a no-look pass to set up Panarin for a goal.
“Tonight, there was a positive vibe -- a resilient, determined vibe,” said Kreider. “Guys were committed to doing the right things and working for each other, and I mean, that is fun. That is winning hockey."
After the goal, Panarin was called for a penalty and the Rangers were forced to rely on their penalty kill. They stepped up again as Brett Howden set up Lemieux for a shorthanded goal to tie the game. After finishing off the penalty kill Jacob Trouba gave the Rangers the lead for the first time all night on a shot from the point that beat Carey Price, the Canadiens star goalie.
After the goal the Rangers had to survive another penalty kill, and a last minute push by the Canadiens with Price pulled and an extra attacker on the ice.
Thanks to blocked shots by Lemieux and clutch saves by Alexandar Georgiev they did just that.
Georgiev stopped 38 of 43 shots despite allowing three goals in the first period.
“The score didn’t reflect the way we were playing [early on] so we just had to stay with it,” said Lemieux. “Not too high, not too low.”
Ten Rangers recorded a point in the game and six Rangers recorded multiple points. There were contributions throughout the lineup.
“When you come into this building down 4-0 and you accomplish what they accomplished, they should feel good about themselves,” said coach David Quinn. “I’m just happy for them.”
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