Rangers 3, Canadiens 1: Defenseman Ryan McDonagh followed a four-point performance in the series opener with a goal and an assist as visiting New York seized a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference final.

Rick Nash scored his second goal in two contests following a 17-game playoff drought and Martin St. Louis added a power-play tally for the Rangers, who host Game 3 on Thursday. Derek Stepan notched a pair of assists and Henrik Lundqvist made 40 saves as New York has gone 4-for-10 on the power play against Montreal after a 6-for-55 showing over the first two playoff rounds.

Max Pacioretty netted the lone goal for the Canadiens, who missed the mark on 22 shot attempts and had another eight blocked. Dustin Tokarski made his first career postseason appearance in place of Carey Price - who is out for the series with a knee injury - and turned aside 27 shots.

Montreal stormed out of the gate and applied plenty of pressure on Lundqvist before finally breaking through at 6:14 of the first period, when the puck went off Pacioretty and into the net after the goaltender poke-checked it following a mishap by Mats Zuccarello. The lead lasted all of 17 seconds as McDonagh's shot from along the boards near the left point caromed off Canadiens defenseman Josh Gorges and past Tokarski.

New York moved ahead with 62 seconds remaining in the opening session as Chris Kreider made a cross-ice pass during a 3-on-2 rush to Nash, who beat Tokarski from the top of the right faceoff circle. Stepan set up St. Louis for a one-timer from the top of the slot at 8:03 of the second and Lundqvist stopped all 19 shots he faced in the third to give the Rangers a chance to end the series at home.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Montreal coach Michel Therrien elected to start Tokarski over G Peter Budaj, who is 0-2 with a 5.13 goals-against average and .843 save percentage in seven career playoff appearances. ... Rangers LW Daniel Carcillo was inserted into the lineup in place of C Derick Brassard, who was injured in the first period of the series opener. ... Canadiens C Alex Galchenyuk returned from a knee injury to make his first appearance this postseason.