Lundqvist shuts door as Rangers take Game 1 over Canadiens

MONTREAL - Tanner Glass scored in the first period and Henrik Lundqvist made 31 saves to help the New York Rangers beat the Montreal Canadiens 2-0 on Wednesday night in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series.

Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is Friday night at Bell Centre.

Michael Grabner added an empty-net goal with 1:10 left to play.

Montreal outshot New York 16-5 in the first period, but couldn't beat Lundqvist.

The Canadiens are looking to avenge a six-game loss in the third 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 barreling 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.

Montreal's Tomas Plekanec won a draw in his own zone, but fourth-line winger Glass pounced on it and lifted a backhand from the slot over Price's shoulder.