Music: {allcanada} Vigneault says Rangers respect 'favored' Canadiens

Friday, May 16, 2014

{allcanada} Vigneault says Rangers respect 'favored' Canadiens

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GREENBURGH, N.Y. -- The question referenced preparation and nerves, if he feels any of them on the eve of the Eastern Conference Final, but New York Rangers coach Alain Vigneault saw it as an opportunity to basically speak directly to the Montreal Canadiens.

"I know they went into the Boston series saying they felt Boston didn't respect them," Vigneault said. "We respect Montreal quite a bit."

So much so that Vigneault referred to the Canadiens as "the favorites," and added Montreal is "rightfully expected to win." He even said he's watched most of Montreal's 11 games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but he "hasn't found anything yet that I can grasp, put my hand on as far as try and exploit against this team yet."

Whether it was an attempt to release any pressure his team might be feeling heading into Game 1 of the best-of-7 series on Saturday (1 p.m. ET; NBC, CBC, RDS), or Vigneault's way of putting all the pressure on the Habs, his words certainly seemed planned and calculated.

"We know that they're not only a very strong team, but they're a team that has beaten the No. 1 team in the NHL right now and a team that went to the Stanley Cup Final last year, the team that beat the New York Rangers in five games last year," Vigneault said in reference to the Canadiens' series win against the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference Second Round. "So, we know that we've got our hands full.

"We know going into this series, and rightfully so, they are the favorites," he continued. "It's going to be the first time in this playoffs. Against Tampa and against Boston they were the underdogs. They didn't have home ice. Now they're going into this series, and rightfully they're expected to win. Pressure does funny things to different people. I'm anxious to see how we're going to react. I'm sure they're anxious to see how they're going to react. Both teams are obviously looking forward to this series and it should be a lot of fun starting [Saturday] afternoon."

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