Are the Montreal Canadiens done? They enter what's basically a must-win on Thursday night at Madison Square Garden, needing a win to avoid an 0-3 hole against a New York Rangers team that smells blood in the water after two big wins on the road in Montreal during Games 1 and 2.
How to watch Canadiens vs. Rangers Game 3 online, TV schedule and preview
It’s a must-win for the Canadiens as they hit the road against the Rangers, who lead the Eastern Conference Final two games to none entering Game 3.
Jean-Yves Ahern-USA TODAY Sports
NHL Playoffs
Most have counted the Habs out since Carey Price went down with a knee injury in Game 1, especially since he'll be out for the series. But as Adam Gretz wrote on Thursday morning, the Canadiens don't need backup goaltender Dustin Tokarski to win them the game. They just need him to be capable -- and honestly, even a performance as mediocre to below-average as the .900 save percentage showing he put up in the Game 2 loss.
It all comes down to Montreal's ability to beat Henrik Lundqvist and the Rangers defense, not Montreal's goaltending. Head coach Michel Therrien alluded to possible lineup changes before Game 3, so we'll see if those come to fruition and if they make any bit of difference for a Habs team that, aside from a few stretches in Game 2, has been strongly outplayed by the Rangers.
New York's balanced attack also has given the Habs fits so far in the series. The Rangers should get Derick Brassard back in their lineup for Game 3, which only makes their fantastic third line even stronger.
Montreal Canadiens at New York Rangers
Game 3, Eastern Conference Final | Rangers lead, 2-0
8 p.m. ET | Madison Square Garden | Manhattan, N.Y.
National TV: NBCSN (US) | CBC, RDS (Canada)
Live online stream at NBCSports.com (USA) and CBC.ca (Canada)
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