Montreal 4 Pittsburgh 3 (Bell Centre) The series is tied 3-3.
posted by Rocket
All Habs
“But the only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible.” — Arthur C. Clark
One game.
Win it and the Canadiens move to the Eastern conference final. You realize that’s one series before two teams play for the Stanley Cup?
If the Habs beat the Penguins in the Igloo on Wednesday night, can we agree that the Canadiens are venturing into territory that will give fans the courage to imagine what’s possible?
It seems to me that the players are already there, many games ago.
Again today, we heard a Habs’ fan say “Win or lose, it no longer matters.” Really?
On a popular Habs’ blog, the only thing that was missing was an audio clip of funeral music. Mike Boone wrote “Let’s be thankful”; “Count your blessings” and “It’s been an incredible run.”
It would seem that Mr. Boone was well underway running through checklist procedures as he closed the Habs Inside/Out cottage for the season. And the message to his visitors was ‘Here’s your hat, what’s your hurry?’
He capped off his cheery set of comments with “The dream ends tonight.” I know Bruins’ fans who said kinder things today.
It’s almost as if some people expected Commissioner Gary Bettman to stand on a large box at the end of the game and pat each Canadiens’ player on the head saying, “That was really cute. Now go run along. The big boys will take it from here.”
The Habs don’t need token compliments, eulogies or patronizing comments. Let’s face it. Your Montreal Canadiens are the real deal.
Toss out the on-paper analysis, and the regular season records. The Habs are overcoming incredible odds, a bumbling coach and inconsistent officiating, and are finding ways to win. Through teamwork, desire, determination, and sheer will, they are making it happen.
“We’re getting there,” said Mike Cammalleri. “We’re by no means a great team, but we’re trying to be the best team we can be.”
Did you get the idea when watching tonight that Cammalleri thinks this team is done? What about Josh Gorges? A gutsy effort by Jaroslav Spacek, wasn’t it?
The Habs’ players believe that they can beat the Pittsburgh Penguins. It’s not some cliched sound byte that is rehearsed for media interviews. It seems to be a feeling that is consuming them.
I don’t pretend to know the outcome of Wednesday’s deciding game. I won’t make any predictions.
But it’s a safe bet that every member of the Montreal Canadiens believes that they can win it. And while I can’t imagine that the Penguins are fearful, perhaps in the back of the minds is the notion that these guys from north of the border are for real.
To me, Marc-Andre Fleury has looked fallible at times in each game this series. For the most part, he has benefited from the Canadiens getting very few second-chance opportunities, and little traffic in front of him. Tonight, he looked beatable throughout and gave up at least one weak goal.
No excuses for the Penguins who were playing with a full deck. Though Jordan Staal was back in the lineup on Saturday, tonight he played a regular shift, starting on a line with Evgeni Malkin.
What is encouraging is the way the Habs won tonight.
To say that the Canadiens were undermanned is a huge understatement. Andrei Markov, the Habs best player is still covering form a torn anterior cruciate ligament. He was joined in the press box by Hal Gill, who some consider one of the top defensemen in the playoffs from any team.
Taking Gill’s assistant captain ‘A’ was Josh Gorges. He also assumed the responsibility of covering Sidney Crosby. Gorges had a superb game, playing over 25 minutes and blocking six shots.
Gorges defense partner was P.K. Subban who logged 29 minutes, the most ice-time of any player on either team. Subban simplified his game and gave his best performance of the playoffs, finishing the night with a plus-2 rating.
Gorges and Subban were very effective defending Crosby. Although Crosby got his first goal of the series, it was when Marc-Andre Bergeron left him all alone to the left of Jaroslav Halak.
The other standout on defense was Jaroslav Spacek. After being out with a virus for three weeks, Spacek played 18 minutes, blocked three shots and scored the Canadiens’ second goal. It was his first goal since December 4, the Centennial game against Boston. He seems to have a knack for scoring in big games.
Cammalleri, Tomas Plekanec and Andrei Kostitsyn were the Canadiens’ best line by far. Cammalleri seemed to be on a mission, scoring two goals. Kostitsyn delivered some solid hits, created turnovers and had two assists. Plekanec had an assist and was 76 per cent on faceoffs, mostly against Crosby.
Maxim Lapierre had the other Canadiens goal when he made a nice individual play to score. Lapierre had an inconsistent game as he had moments of undisciplined play and was on the ice for two of the three Penguins’ goals. Lapierre’s linemate, Dominic Moore was on for all three.
Jacques Martin went with three lines most of the game. Glen Metropolit and Benoit Pouliot each played less than three minutes. Mathieu Darche started on the top line but was quickly replaced by Tom Pyatt.
The win was especially satisfying as the Canadiens didn’t have to rely on their goaltender. Halak made 34 saves and was solid but was not shelled as in previous games. The Penguins second goal was a softie, and Halak was assisted three times by his red metal friends.
The Canadiens now travel to Pittsburgh for the game that no one predicted would happen and that the Penguins would have preferred not to play. Forced to admit that the team is more than a fluke, some fans and mainstream media are jumping back on the Canadiens’ bandwagon.
“Now we belong. We’re having fun,” said Cammalleri. “For us, hey, we’ve got an opportunity to knock these guys off in Game 7. Let’s go enjoy it and I’ll say the same thing I’ve said every game: ‘Let’s see if we can’t go and play a great game.”’
Through this playoff season, the Habs have formed a tight knit group who support each other, and learned to believe in themselves. Perhaps there is one person who dared to imagine the potential of this team and that is Bob Gainey. He assembled a team that is excelling in the playoffs.
“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” ~ John Quincy Adams
As a player, and a builder, Gainey is definitely a leader.
The on-ice leaders he has chosen will make their way to Pittsburgh for the seventh and deciding game on Wednesday night.
The question is: Do you believe?
Rocket’s three stars
1. Mike Cammalleri
2. Josh Gorges
3. Jaroslav Spacek
Special mention: Andrei Kostitsyn, Tomas Plekanec, P.K. Subban
Player quotes from wire services were used in this report.
(photo credit: Getty)
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What a catch-22 Habs fans find themselves in. On one hand, *if* the dream were to end tomorrow night, many, if not most fans will shrug, thank the team for a swell ride and find someone else to root for.
If you're like me (and like I think you are as well), then you want a game 7 win in the worst way. There's not much point in fighting to get a game 7 opportunity if you're not going to win it. A loss tomorrow would be devastating simply because the path to the Stanley Cup is as wide and clear as it's been for the Habs since '93. Not to disrespect the Bruins or Flyers (because they're both proving themselves to be tough, resilient teams in their own right), but they aren't the Capitals or Penguins. For once, the Canadiens may even be *favored* to win a series. Maybe we don't want that?
I've also got to swallow my words on PK Subban. I wanted him to be left alone in Hamilton; to learn how to be a champion there; to learn what it's like to lead and be leaned on. He's getting that opportunity now, in Montreal under intense pressure, assigned to cover the game's top player. That's a crazy thought! Mea culpa!
Allow me a moment of weirdo indulgence. I know I'm getting ahead of myself, and we won't know the answer until tomorrow, but if Gill is ready, and if somehow Markov can go (by the way, the only thing I disagree with you on is that he's recovering – he needs surgery to repair his ACL, which he has not had yet, which leads one to believe that he's still hoping to return to play), then can we consider the following lineup changes?
1st line:
Gionta / Gomez / Moen
2nd line:
AK46 / Plekanec / Cammalleri
3rd line:
Moore / Lapierre / Pyatt
4th line:
Markov / Metro / Darche or O'Byrne
1st D pair:
Gorges / Gill
2nd D pair:
Hamrlik / Subban
3rd D pair:
Gill / Spacek
Sadly this leaves O'Byrne out, but the chances are slim that Markov would be ready anyway, so it's a moot point. Besides, you could also sit Darche in favour of O'Byrne on the 4th line. If it's crunch time and you need defenders, to me it makes sense to have them available to you. And if the 4th line is going to play so little time anyway, then why not?
But we have Jacques Martin as a coach, and he is unlikely to change anything while it's working. I just think it's imperative for him to have his best players out there, and right now Pouliot is NOT one of those players.
I have to say it has been one hell of a series but I really believe the clock is going to strike midnight tomorrow night and Cinderella will be out of the playoffs.
Pittsburgh just has too much talent, experience and grit; they will move on to face the Philly/Boston winner for the conference championship.
Montreal has displayed itself to be a well disciplined and coached team but sooner or later talent will prevail and it will prevail in Pittsburgh’s favor.
GO PENS!!!
You may be right, but note that this is the exact same rhetoric Habs fans heard in game 7 of the Washington series. By now we know how that turned out.
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