The way to beat Montreal is to force them outside along the perimeter and into the corners. Montreal's four (or five) centres are not playmakers, but more like grinders (ie Andrew Shaw, Steve Ott, Torrey Mitchell et al). Phil Danault is their #1 centre, a good player and decent acquisition, but a third line centre on many teams, second at best on a few. He's a three dressed up as a nine. Montreal's centres can't force a defence to hesitate, back off, give them space, allow a big nifty play. I figure Vigneault knows this, and  in game 1, Montreal was forced outside, much dump and chase, scramble, get some shots off. They did have their chances, and the game could have gone either way. But the blueprint is there for the Rangers to follow. Meet them at the neutral zone/ blueline, force them outside. Flipping over to the Leafs game, the first thing I saw was Tyler Bozak trying to storm up though the centre of the defensive zone. He almost made it. I thought: why can't we do this?