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Canadiens defeat Rangers in OT, trail in series 2-1

Montreal Canadiens v New York Rangers - Game Three

in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Final during the 2014 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on May 22, 2014 in New York City.

Al Bello

There were strange moments throughout Thursday’s game between the Montreal Canadiens and New York Rangers, and that includes the overtime goal that has given the Habs renewed life in these Stanley Cup playoffs.

The Canadiens got back into the Eastern Conference Final with a stunning 3-2 overtime victory over the Rangers to silence the boisterous crowd at Madison Square Garden. Alex Galchenyuk scored the winner, as the puck rebounded off New York goalie Henrik Lundqvist and seemed to hit the Montreal player off the chest, before it bounced into the net.

The goal came just 1:12 into the extra period.

From the NHL Situation Room Blog:

At 1:12 of overtime in the Montreal Canadiens/New York Rangers game, the Situation Room supported the referee’s call on the ice that the puck deflected off Alex Galchenyuk’s body and into the New York net in a legal fashion. According to Rule 78.4 “if an attacking player has the puck deflect into the net, off his skate or body, in any manner, the goal shall be allowed.” Good goal Montreal.

The Habs now trail the best-of-seven series 2-1. For the Rangers, a win would’ve put them one away from clinching a spot in the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in 20 years.

This game also featured a pair of incidents involving Brandon Prust and Daniel Carcillo that could result in supplementary discipline.

But standing in New York’s way of moving closer to the championship round on this night was 24-year-old goalie Dustin Tokarski, who was brilliant for the Habs. He made 35 saves, including a pair of sprawling stops off Martin St. Louis (click here to view the first one from the second period).

The Habs, outplayed throughout the evening, took a 2-1 lead late in the third period off a strange goal from Daniel Briere, who banked the puck in off a Rangers defender on a scramble around the net.

The Rangers tied it with 29 seconds left in regulation time, as a pass out front hit off the skate of Montreal defenseman Alexei Emelin and past Tokarski.

Undeterred, the Canadiens ended this one quickly in the overtime, and ensure this series goes back to Montreal for a fifth game.

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