Dan Girardi chalked up a goal and an assist, Henrik Lundqvist stopped 21 shots and the New York Rangers blanked the New Jersey Devils 3-0 Monday in the opening game of the Eastern Conference finals.

Game 2 is Wednesday at Madison Square Garden, where the Devils will look to knot things up at 1-1 before the series heads to Newark.

Girardi scored just 53 seconds into the third period and Chris Kreider tacked on a power play goal at the 12-minute mark for the Rangers, coming off grueling 7-game series wins over the Caps and Senators.

Devils goalie Martin Brodeur and his teammates were solid through two periods, but the Rangers came out with poise and purpose in the third stanza.

Lundqvist made several superb stops on his way to a fifth career playoff shutout, while Artem Anisimov scored an empty-netter with 87 seconds remaining.

 

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Lundqvist Blanks Devils, Rangers Take 1-0 Series Lead