January 5th, 2004
The Canadiens will play on back to back nights with a visit to Madison Square Gardens to face the New York Rangers (24-10-4) The Rangers lead the Metropolitan Division. Montreal will start G
Martin King. Both C
Jeff Pilbeam and C
Patrick Atkins will be out of the line-up.
The 1st period ended scoreless, it was a tight defensive start with the shots 7-5 for the Rangers.
Montreal gets the games first goal when C
Dean Casey deflected RD
Steven Thornton's shot for his 10th of the year on the PP at 17:04 of the 2nd. The period ends with the score 1-0 for Montreal and the shots favoured New York 18-14 after 2 periods.
Montreal goes up 2-0 at 4:30 of the 3rd as LW
Randolph Lott redirects a RD
Steven Thornton's point shot for his 7th of the season. Moments later LW
Emile Boudreau snaps his own rebound home for his 22nd of the season and a 3-0 lead at 6:01. Montreal hangs on for the win as the Rangers out shoot the Habs 31-23 and giving G
Martin King the shutout.
Montreal 3 New York Rangers 0
Montreal G
Martin King was named the 1st star making 31 saves. The 24 year old now is 6-2-1 with 5 SO's, a 1.00 GAA and a .956 SV% in 11 games. King set a career high with 10 wins during the 2000-01 season for Montreal.
Buffalo Sabres RW
Craig Tollison had a goal in a 1-1 tie with the Bruins. The 29 year old now has 20 goals and 36 points with 4 PIMs and a -1 rating in 39 games. Tollison had a career high 35 goals last year in 65 games for the Sabres.
Pittsburgh Penguins RW
Brad Rakas had a goal and an assist in a 4-2 win over the Golden Knights. The 27 year old now has 13 goals and 29 points with 12 PIMs and a +18 rating in 39 games. Rakas had a career high 38 goals during the 2001-02 season in 72 games with the Penguins.
Buffalo Sabres RW
Craig Tollison had 3 assists in a 5-2 win over the Golden Knights. The 29 year old now has 20 goals and 39 points with 4 PIMs and a +1 rating in 40 games.
New York Rangers RW
Lukas Kocian had 2 goals and an assist in a 5-2 win over the Flyers. The 20 year old now has 16 goals and 38 points with 18 PIMs and a +19 rating in 40 games. Kocian had 20 goals last year in 71 games for the Rangers in his rookie season.
Detroit Red Wings RD
Lonnie Wymer had 2 assists in a 2-1 win over the Sabres. The 29 year old now has 6 goals and 24 points with 32 PIMs and a +4 rating in 41 games. Wymer had a career high 10 goals in 72 games for the Red Wings in the 2001-02 season.