Canadiens 1, Rangers 0
All-Star Carey Price continued his mastery of New York by turning aside all 24 shots he faced and Max Pacioretty scored with 4:17 remaining in the third period as visiting Montreal skated to its fourth straight victory.
Dale Weise and defenseman Alexei Emelin each notched an assist on Pacioretty's team-leading 22nd goal for the Canadiens, who improved to 14-3-1 in their last 18 games. Price recorded his seventh win in his last nine regular-season starts versus New York - with five coming via shutout.
Henrik Lundqvist finished with 25 saves for the Rangers, who have dropped two in a row following a 16-3-0 surge. New York failed on both power-play opportunities to fall to 2-for-22 in its last eight games.
Price recorded his 28th career shutout and third this season in impressive fashion, highlighting it with an acrobatic save on Martin St. Louis in the third period. The 27-year-old began his stellar performance by stopping 10 shots in the first.
After the teams were unable to convert on point-blank chances, Pacioretty made the most of his shot from well above the right faceoff circle as the puck handcuffed Lundqvist and squirted inside the near post. Pacioretty had a chance to seal the win in the late going, but his bid for an empty-net goal caromed off the post.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Montreal nearly drew first blood with 1:58 remaining in the first period as Weise's one-timer from deep in the right circle was denied by Lundqvist. Officials reviewed the sequence at the next stoppage in play, but replay was inconclusive in determining whether the puck completely crossed the goal line. ... St. Louis also had a chance to open the scoring, but his blast from the point late in the second session caromed off the crossbar. ... New York's John Moore logged 11:36 of ice time in his return to the lineup after being scratched for five straight games. Fellow D Matt Hunwick was scratched in his place.