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The Bruins are trying to win their second title in three years. Reuters

The Boston Bruins took control midway through the second period to claim a 5-2 win over the New York Rangers and gain a commanding 2-0 lead in their Eastern Conference semi-final on Sunday.

The best-of-seven series now shifts to New York for a pair of contests with Game Three set for Tuesday at Madison Square Garden.

"We expect them to come harder than ever," said Bruins forward Milan Lucic, looking ahead to the next game in New York. "We know MSG (Madison Square Garden) is going to be rocking and once again we're going to have to do a good job with good clean breakouts and playing in the offensive zone."

Rookie defenseman Torey Krug, Gregory Campbell, Johnny Boychuck, Brad Marchand and Lucic each had a goal for the Bruins while Ryan Callahan and Rick Nash were the only Rangers to beat Tuukka Rask, who was again outstanding in the Boston net facing 37 shots.

Krug, one of three rookies pressed into duty on the Bruins' injury-hit blueline, notched his second goal in as many playoff games to open the scoring before Callahan beat Rask on a breakaway to send the teams into the first intermission deadlocked at 1-1.

Campbell and Nash, with his first of the post-season, traded goals in the second before the Bruins seized control on Boychuk's third of the playoffs.

Boston pulled away in the third with Marchand redirecting a goalmouth feed from Patrice Bergeron just 26 seconds into the frame while Lucic completed the rout.

"I think all the pressure was on us and we had a great start," said Lucic. "We were able to get that first goal and every time they were able to tie it up we were able to extend the lead.

"Once we stopped turning the puck over at the blueline we started to frustrate them a bit and that is going to be key for us in Game Three."

(Reuters - Steve Keating)