New York Rangers: 3 Keys to Eliminate the Montreal Canadiens

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Apr 16, 2017; New York, NY, USA; Montreal Canadiens right wing Alexander Radulov (47) celebrates scoring a goal against the New York Rangers during the third period in game three of the first round of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports /

– Limit Mistakes

The Rangers have done a good job beating themselves at times in this series through four games. With both teams being evenly matched in the regular season and in the playoffs so far, it is the little things that count. Not taking penalties, limiting turnovers, and not giving the other team extra chances.

So far, the Rangers have struggled with mistakes in their two losses. In Game 2, the Rangers had 16 giveaways and 15 penalty minutes in the overtime loss. Even though Lundqvist has played great, turning the puck over in your own zone is a recipe for disaster. Lundqvist has bailed the Rangers out at times, but they can’t leave their goalie out to dry.

In the Game 3 loss, the Rangers really struggled to control the puck. 21 giveaways compared to only eight by the Canadiens helped result in the 3-1 loss for the Rangers. So far in the series, the team that has the fewest amount of giveaways has won every game. With both teams so evenly matched, these extra opportunities on giveaways have been one of the differences in the series. It may sound simple, but not making mistakes is key for the Rangers to win this series.

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