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Lundqvist, Rangers host Canadiens before road trip

Jan 7, 2009 - 11:31 AM Montreal (22-10-6) at NY Rangers (24-14-3), 7:30 p.m. EST

NEW YORK (Ticker) -- Before heading out on a five-game road swing, Henrik Lundqvist and the New York Rangers will look for their third straight home win when they face the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday.

Lundqvist made 27 saves Monday to record his first shutout of the season as the Rangers cruised to a 4-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins, who eliminated New York from the 2008 Stanley Cup playoffs in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

The 26-year-old Lundqvist, who had an NHL-best 10 blankings in 2007-08, has posted a 20-11-3 record with a 2.59 goals-against average and .911 save percentage this campaign.

The Canadiens already managed to get the best of the Swedish netminder this season, cruising to a 6-2 triumph over the Rangers on December 4.

Montreal is seeking its fifth win in six games. On Sunday, Andrei Kostitsyn scored a pair of goals and defenseman Andrei Markov netted the lone tally of the shootout in a 6-5 triumph over the Florida Panthers.

Markov, fellow blue-liner Mike Komisarek, goaltender Carey Price and right wing Alexei Kovalev were voted into the starting lineup for the East for this season's All-Star Game, which will be played at the Bell Centre on January 25.