Warning: mysqli_query(): (HY000/1030): Got error 28 from storage engine in /home/sportsun/public_html/wp-includes/wp-db.php on line 1942

Brian Gionta gave the Montreal Canadiens a lead early in Game 1 of their first round series and goaltender Carey Price did the rest in a 2-0 road win over the Boston Bruins. Price, who started only one game for the Canadiens in last year’s surprise run to the Eastern Conference Finals, made 31 saves to earn his first playoff victory in three years. Gionta scored again with 3:18 remaining in the game to ice things.

Montreal couldn’t have hoped for a much better start to the postseason. “Our guys played great defense, and we played a pretty perfect road game,” said Price. “If we were to write down on paper how we wanted to start the series, that would be it right there.”

The Bruins gave the 23-year-old Price some credit, but are sure they could have done more to beat him. “The difference was our net-front presence wasn’t there,” said Boston forward Patrice Bergeron. “He’s a good goalie, yes, but we’ve got to make sure we have traffic in front of him. He’s going to make those stops if he sees it, and that’s all.”

Price wasn’t the only goalie to start the playoffs with a road shutout on Thursday: Ryan Miller made 35 saves to lead the Buffalo Sabres to a 1-0 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. In the other game, Joe Pavelski scored 14:44 into overtime to give the San Jose Sharks a Game 1 win at home over the Los Angeles Kings.