MONTREAL — The stats are in their favor.
The Rangers took a dramatic 3-2 victory over the Canadiens in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series on Thursday night at Bell Centre. If history proves to be a proper forecast, their 3-2 edge in the best-of-seven series puts them in good shape to advance to the second round. Their first chance to clinch will be in Game 6 on Saturday night at the Garden.
According to the team, the Rangers have won each of the previous 14 playoff series in which they earned a win in Game 5, dating back to the Patrick Division semifinals against the Flyers in 1986. This is also the eighth time in franchise history they have come back from a 2-1 series deficit to take a 3-2 lead, and they are 6-1 in the previous seven series — the only loss being in the 1950 Stanley Cup final to the Red Wings.
But they’re not trying to focus too much on momentum.
“You know, everybody is going to fly to New York and recover,” coach Alain Vigneault said. “They’re going to put a game plan together, we’re going to put a game plan together, and both teams are going to do what they’ve been doing for five games — they’re going to compete real hard. That’s what I expect from us, and that’s what I expect from them.”
Center Oscar Lindberg was hit high by Andrew Shaw midway through the second period, with no call made. He was down on the ice for a while as play continued. Lindberg did go to the locker room after being called off by concussion spotters, and went through concussion protocol before returning for the rest of the game.
He had a cut on his upper lip and said after the game he was fine.
Captain Ryan McDonagh also took a hit up near his head in the first period, sandwiched between Alexander Radulov and Max Pacioretty, and was down on the ice, rattled, for a good 45 seconds. There was no penalty called on the play, and McDonagh didn’t miss a shift.
Defenseman Kevin Klein and forward Tanner Glass remained healthy scratches for the second straight game.