Rangers Blow Lead Late, Fall in OT to Montreal in Game 2 of First-Round Series

The Rangers were sorely reminded Friday night that every second matters in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

New York blew a lead with less than half a minute to go in Game 2 of their first-round playoff matchup against the Montreal Canadiens, eventually falling 4-3 in overtime.

Down 3-2 late in the third period, having lost two leads to the Rangers in Montreal, the Canadiens' Tomas Plekanec just got his stick on a pass from Alexander Radulov in front of Rangers' goalie Henrik Lundqvist.

That was all Plekanec needed to poke the puck by the Rangers' net minder, tying the game 3-3.

Radulov then made the Blueshirts pay again in overtime, scoring 18:34 into the extra period.

The first-round Eastern Conference playoff series is now tied 1-1 heading back to Madison Square Garden on Sunday night.

Lundqvist made 54 saves in the loss.