MTL@NYR: Game recap

NEW YORK - The Canadiens couldn't capitalize off a solid first start of the season for Cayden Primeau and lost 3-2 to the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday.

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Jonathan Drouin made his return to the lineup after missing six games with an injury.

Primeau, called up from the AHL's Laval Rocket over the weekend, made his first start of the season for Montreal.

Primeau looked confident and made several key saves in the opening frame, with the Rangers outshooting the Habs 17-12 in the first.
But the hosts got on the board first when Kaapo Kakko tapped in a one-timer from in close after Artemi Panarin's initial shot was blocked. Panarin and Ryan Strome picked up assists on the play.
Montreal headed to the room trailing 1-0.
The Habs didn't wait long to climb back into the game in the second stanza. Just 2:17 into the period, Brendan Gallagher made a beautiful backhand pass from behind the net as he was falling, which was tucked in past Rangers starter Igor Shesterkin by a waiting Christian Dvorak.

Gallagher and Brett Kulak earned helpers on the goal.
New York wouldn't trail for long, however, as Chris Kreider replied 1:43 later by tapping in a cross-ice feed from Mika Zibanejad.
The Rangers could've had another one if not for Primeau's exceptional efforts on a 3-on-1 late in the period, robbing Strome with his glove.

After 40 minutes of play, the Rangers led 2-1 and were outshooting the Canadiens 26-21.
The start to the third was a busy one. First, the Blueshirts padded their lead when Julien Gauthier scored an unassisted goal before the period was two minutes old.
Twenty-two seconds later, Josh Anderson cut New York's lead back down to one when he buried the rebound off Dvorak's shot from the outer circle for his fourth of the season. Dvorak and Chris Wideman got the assists.

Primeau was sharp once again in the third, turning aside seven of eight shots he faced in the frame.

At the final buzzer, the Rangers led 34-33 in shots and took the game by a 3-2 score.
The Canadiens' next game is on Thursday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Bell Centre. For tickets to the game,
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