The Rangers scored five times in a 5-minute, 37-second stretch over the second and third periods and blew out the host Habs, 7-2, Saturday afternoon.

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Chris Kreider and Brad Richards scored 49 seconds apart in the second against Montreal goalie Carey Price to give New York a 4-1 lead. Before then, Montreal had seized the momentum with Rene Bourque's goal at 12:38 of the period. 

New York then scored three times in the first 4:36 of the third period, all on the power play, to break open the game at Bell Centre.

Peter Budaj replaced Price to start the third. It wasn't clear whether Price was pulled for poor play or for a possible right knee injury he suffered in the second when Kreider slid into him. Canadiens coach Michel Therrien said after the game that the move was not injury-related.

Regardless, Budaj couldn't stem the tide.

Ryan McDonagh ripped a one-time slap shot over Budaj's glove and under the crossbar on a power play at 1:28. At 4:11, with New York enjoying a two-man advantage. Martin St. Louis slid a cross-ice pass to Derek Stepan, who made no mistake with an open net. Twenty-five seconds later, with the Rangers on a 5-on-4 power play, Rick Nash banked a wrist shot off Budaj to give New York a six-goal lead.

Montreal's Lars Eller scored a shorthanded goal with 4 1/2 minutes remaining for the final count.

In all, New York was awarded seven power plays to three for Montreal.

The start of the game was ideal for the Rangers as well. They scored twice in the game's first seven minutes and went to the dressing room ahead, 2-0.

St. Louis began the scoring at 4:35 by converting a feed from Dominic Moore in front of the Montreal net. Less than two minutes later, at 6:27, Mats Zuccarello chipped the puck past Price.

Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist stopped all six Montreal shots in the period. He finished with 20 saves. Lundqvist came into the series red-hot after leading the Rangers' rally from a 3-1 series deficit in the East semifinals against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The winner of this series will advance to the Stanley Cup Final against the winner of the Western Conference finals between the Chicago Blackhawks and Los Angeles Kings. Game 1 of that series will be 3 p.m. ET Sunday in Chicago (NBC).


EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS SCHEDULE


Game 1: New York 7, Montreal 2 (Rangers lead series 1-0)

Game 2: New York at Montreal, May 19, 8 p.m., NBCSN

Game 3: Montreal at New York, May 22, 8 p.m., NBCSN 

Game 4: Montreal at New York, May 25, 8 p.m., NBCSN

Game 5: New York at Montreal, May 27, 8 p.m., NBCSN

Game 6: Montreal at New York, May 29, 8 p.m., NBCSN

Game 7: New York at Montreal, May 31, 8 p.m., NBCSN