Rookie leads way in opener for Rangers

Rangers rookie Chris Kreider scored the goahead goal and then set up Brad Richards’ insurance tally 90 seconds later in the third period to lift New York to a 3-1 victory over the Washington Capitals in the opening game of their Eastern Conference semifinal series Saturday.

Kreider, who this month helped Boston College win the NCAA championship, scored the second goal of his NHL career — and these playoffs — and he did it at the perfect time to give the Rangers a 2-1 lead 7:00 into the third. Richards made it a twogoal lead off a feed from Kreider, and gave a twofisted punch into the glass behind goalie Braden Holtby to celebrate his third goal of the playoffs.

“I’m kind of at a loss for words,” Kreider said. “I’m just trying to keep my head down and work hard.”

Henrik Lundqvist earned the win, and needed to make only 17 saves to do it.

Jason Chimera scored the lone goal for the visiting Capitals to tie it 1-1 in the closing seconds of the second period. Kings 3, Blues 1: Matt Greene scored shorthanded late in the second period for the lead and Jonathan Quick was strong in net throughout as visiting Los Angeles beat St. Louis in the opener of a Western Conference semifinal series.

Slava Voynov scored for his first point of the postseason and Dustin Penner added an emptynetter for the Kings.