Canadiens, Rangers see crashing the crease a tricky part of playoff hockey
MONTREAL — While fans in both New York and Montreal are upset at the rough treatment goalies Henrik Lundqvist and Carey Price have endured in their five playoff meetings so far, neither the Rangers nor Canadiens seem to see it as a big deal.
Lundqvist and Price have been outstanding in their NHL Eastern Conference quarter-final thus far but both have also had to put up with heavy bumping in the crease.
It even led to a rare playoff fight between New York’s Brendan Smith and Montreal’s Andrew Shaw in the first period Thursday night after a pileup in the Rangers crease.
“It’s a message but I’m not out there trying to send a message,” Smith said Friday before the Rangers’ return to New York. “The thing is, we’re trying to take care of Hankie (Lundqvist).