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Rangers dominate Thrashers to take 3-0 series lead

Apr 18, 2007 - 5:27 AM NEW YORK (Ticker) -- Atlanta won both games it played at Madison Square Garden during the regular season. Michael Nylander and Ryan Callahan sent a message that things will be different in the playoffs.

Nylander recorded a hat trick and Callahan added a pair of goals to lead the New York Rangers to a dominating 7-0 victory in Game Three of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal matchup with the third-seeded Thrashers.

The Rangers own a three-games-to-none lead in the series and can close it out Wednesday when they host Game Four.

Nylander set the tone right off the bat, scoring 32 seconds into the game, and the Thrashers never recovered. He made it 2-0 at 9:45 into the opening session.

With Game Two having been played on Saturday, both teams had plenty of rest, but while the Rangers were flying in front or a raucous home crowd, the Thrashers were inexplicably flat.

"We had talked over the last two days about the importance of having a good start because we knew the New York fans would come out and show their support to the Rangers," Atlanta coach Bob Hartley said. "We knew that this would be a very loud rink and we needed the good start and we had a poor read right on the first shift and suddenly bang, it's 1-0."

Rangers captain Jaromir Jagr assisted on both of Nylander's first-period tallies and the duo combined to set up Marek Malik for a goal to make it 3-0 with 7:34 left in the first period.

The line of Jagr, Nylander and Marcel Hossa dominated the first period and Callahan took over in the second. A rookie who has been up with the Rangers since the middle of March, Callahan extended the lead to 5-0 with two goals.

"It's a great experience. Just being able to play in this building and score two goals is something I'll never forget," Callahan said. "I had the family in the stands. It was a special night for me."

Brendan Shanahan had a power-play goal in the third period and Nylander completed his hat trick with just over four minutes to play.

"It is always nice to score goals but the bottom line is that we got this win," Nylander said. "We are here to win the hockey game and we did that. We have to rest and get back tomorrow. They are going to be hungry. They are going to come out with a lot of speed and energy. We have to perform well again."

Jagr performed well, recording four assists and spearheading New York's dominant opening period.

"We were skating. We were moving the puck and skating," he said. "That is why we scored the goals in the first period. We were dominating in the offensive zone and that was the difference. All five guys were skating and they just had a tough time picking it up."

Henrik Lundqvist made 21 saves for the Rangers to post his first career playoff shutout.

"It feels good. I can't lie," Lundqvist said. "It's always nice as a goalie to get a shutout. The first two periods felt good. They had a couple of chances and a couple of shots but I felt confident the way the team played in front of me. I just had to stay focused."

Atlanta goaltender Kari Lehtonen allowed three goals on New York's first eight shots and finished with 28 saves.

"I think we got outplayed in every position and that's the truth," Lehtonen said. "We didn't show up and that's just the way it is right now. Of course I don't feel like the best goalie in the world right now. But I have to learn and tomorrow it's another day and I need to learn from this and put this behind me and focus on what's ahead."

The Thrashers are still searching for their first franchise playoff victory. The team joined the league in 1999-2000.