Gerard Gallant met with the media following the Rangers win in Game One and said (NYR/MSG):

• On discipline and being smart with the puck, “we had a real good first game, obviously. Thought the first period was outstanding for us, we got good jump from killing those two penalties early and I think that really set our game going and we skated well and managed the puck well. It was a good night for our group.”

• What did you like about the defense, “I just thought we played the right way. We talked about managing the puck and not getting turnovers and giving them odd-man rushes. Thought we skated hard, but the biggest thing for us is we forechecked well and did a good job in their zone and we didn’t spend as much time in our zone.”
• On blocking shots, “that first period, again. Especially on the PK we blocked a lot of shots and that really set the tone for our guys on the bench, when you see your players blocking shots and buying in, it shows good for the first game of the playoffs and I was really happy with the they competed and did the little things to win hockey games.”
• On the PK, “They did a lot of good things, they had up-ice pressure, they played strong on the blue line, didn’t give them the entry real good and they just did a lot of good things. Murph works hard with those guys and obviously special teams is really important, I think we had two PP goals also. When you get your special teams doing a good job like that you have a chance to win a lot of games.”
• On defending the Devils when they go East/West, “they are a real talented team, obviously they didn’t play their best game tonight and got frustrated a little bit, but they are a talented team and going to come back ready to play Game 2. Things went our way tonight, we played well, got a lead early and I thought we played a good, 60-minute hockey game.”
• Do you think experience was a factor early in this game, “I don’t….I talk to our reporters all the time, experience doesn’t mean a whole lot for me. We didn’t have a much of it last year and we had a good, long run. I just think it’s getting the young players ready to play and compete and play hard and go from there. I think our veteran guys did a real good job with that, with our kids.”
• On the Fourth Line setting a tone, “they really did, that is what they do. Our fourth line is a lot like their fourth line, you can play them against anybody, I’m not afraid when they are on the ice against their best players and that is the good thing about our team, I got no issue with anybody playing against their top lines and I think Lindy is the same way with them, the team is built the same up front and fourth line does a good job, compete hard and play the right way.”
• Is it good to show that you can create offense without so much risk in the game, “as a coach that is what you want, we created some good goals, capitalized on our PP, when they took a couple of undisciplined penalties we scored, shorthanded we did a real good job. I like the way we played the game the whole way and there wasn’t a whole lot of risk, there were a lot of plays behind their net, a lot of rush plays, but there weren’t a lot of risks until their penalty shot goal (laugh).”
• On Shesterkin, “real strong, made some real key saves. On the PP we kept them to the outside, but they had some screen shots he had to make key saves on. It was just a solid team effort. He played really well, but I thought everybody on our team competed and played a good playoff game.”
• On Chris Kreider, “He’s been great for me for two years. Kreids is a big-time player and to get those two goals tonight on the PP is huge for us, he works on deflecting pucks and that net front area all the time, he just keeps doing it and when he’s hot like he is now it’s important for our group.”