NEW YORK -- Carey Price continued his mastery over the New York Rangers Saturday night at Madison Square Garden, making 26 saves and leading the Montreal Canadiens to a 4-1 victory in the opener of their four-game road trip.

Price is 15-5-1 in 22 career appearances against the Rangers. Only a Chris Kreider goal early in the third period stood between Price and his eighth career shutout against the Rangers.

"He's amazing," Montreal's Andrew Shaw said of Price. "He stands on his head. He's one of those goalies who loves to play in the big games. He's going to make those big-time saves, and he made some big ones tonight, for sure."

The Canadiens (37-21-8), who received two points apiece from Max Pacorietty and Alex Galchenyuk, won their last five contests and swept the three-game season series from the Rangers (41-22-2).

"It's a big rivalry, the Original Six, they're always big games against these guys," said Shaw, who was one of four Montreal goal scorers Saturday.

Henrik Lundqvist made 31 saves for New York, which lost for the third time in its last four games.

"We were slow all over the ice, getting beat to pucks and letting them have all the plays they wanted," Rangers captain Ryan McDonagh said. "It was an easy game for them. We didn't make it hard on them."

Lundqvist made several clutch saves early on to keep his outplayed squad in the game, but the Canadiens managed to score the only goal of the first period when Shea Weber's right-wing shot caromed off Rangers defenseman Adam Clendening and over the goal line at 12:51.

While that goal was somewhat fortunate for Montreal, luck was not a major reason the Canadiens dominated the Rangers for large portions of this contest, and proceeded to stretch their lead to 3-0 before the second intermission.

"It was a really good team game," said Pacorietty, who has 19 points in his last 16 games. "We forechecked really hard, created lots of chances, while maintaining some good defensive zone play. We needed everyone tonight, and I thought everyone played really well."

Montreal's Artturi Lehkonen made it 2-0 at 8:48 of the second period, scoring his 12th goal of the season and first in 18 games, after Pacorietty forced a turnover in the Rangers end of the ice.

Shaw collected his own rebound, swooped behind the net and beat Lundqvist and New York defenseman Brady Skjei on a wraparound with 1:23 left in the second period to make it 3-0.

"Every little play matters, especially when you get down to this time of the year," Rangers alternate captain Dan Girardi said. "Those little plays are huge, and we have to start making them."

Price did his part with a splendid arm save to deny Kevin Hayes off a two-on-one rush midway through the second, and caught a break when New York's Brandon Pirri whiffed on a shot attempt five feet from a wide-open net earlier in the same period. He made 10 saves in each of the second and third periods.

Montreal heads to western Canada for the final three games of this important road trip.

"We wanted to start this road trip on the right foot," Canadiens coach Claude Julien said. "Getting a win here in New York was a great way to start. The guys did a great job of earning it."

NOTES: Canadiens C Steve Ott, acquired earlier in the week from the Detroit Red Wings, played in his first game for Montreal and earned an assist on Shea Weber's game-opening goal. ... Another newcomer, D Jordie Benn, scored a third-period goal, his first with the Canadiens. ... Montreal D Jeff Petry spent 10 minutes in the dressing room in the first period after suffering a facial cut on an unpenalized high stick from Rangers RW Pavel Buchnevich. ... Montreal scratched RW Alexander Radulov, C Brian Flynn, RW Michael McCarron, D Brandon Davidson, and D Nikita Nestorov. ... The Rangers scratched RW Michael Grabner (hip) and D Kevin Klein (back).