FINAL | Round 1, Game 3 | Monday May 24, 2021

Leafs lead series 2-1

Canadiens Lineup

Tomas Tatar – Phillip Danault – Josh Anderson

Joel Armia – Nick Suzuki – Cole Caufield

Tyler Toffoli – Jesperi Kotkaniemi – Brendan Gallagher

Artturi Lehkonen – Paul Byron – Corey Perry

Ben Chiarot – Shea Weber

Joel Edmundson – Jeff Petry

Brett Kulak – Jon Merrill 

Carey Price – Jake Allen

Erik Gustafsson, Michael Frolik, Alexander Romanov, Charlie Lindgren

Alex Belzile, Laurent Dauphin, Lukas Vejdemo, Jesse Ylonen, Cale Fleury, Otto Leskinen, Xavier Ouellet, Cayden Primeau, Michael McNiven

Jonathan Drouin (undisclosed), Jake Evans (undisclosed), Eric Staal (undisclosed)

Game Report

It all seems rather silly now. Throughout the season, the groupthink of the Montreal mainstream media put out the headline that Carey Price was struggling and done. This false narrative was being preached with considerable bluster before Price had lost a game in regulation.

Despite a logical counter message based on the expertise of Stephane Waite pointing to structural deficiencies on the roster, the media continued its disparaging drumbeat misusing metrics either through ignorance or ill intent. They claimed that Price was no longer at the top of the goaltender heap and some took a further step along the plane to ridiculousness by suggesting that he was no longer the best goalie on his team. 

Most knew this was nothing more than foolish talk at the time, but now, after three brilliant performances in the round one playoff series, such false tales are ludicrous.

Once again in game 3, Carey Price was brilliant making spectacular saves followed by unbelievable ones. With this type of special, other-worldly goaltending, just an averagely potent offence could be racking up victory after victory.

But Marc Bergevin hasn’t assembled a roster anything close to producing offence at a minimally acceptable level. In fact, year after year during Bergevin’s, the Canadiens have been one of the very worst at creating scoring chances and finishing them.

‘Get into the playoffs and anything can happen,’ says the Canadiens general manager. No Marc, we know exactly what happens. Carey Price stands on his head, makes miraculous saves, and the offence can’t take advantage. 

One minute into tonight’s game, the Habs were handed a generous gift. Former Canadien Alex Galchenyuk took a double minor for high-sticking. Not only didn’t Montreal score, they didn’t get a shot on goal for the duration of the four minute power-play. That’s inexcusable.

With just under five minutes left in the first period, Justin Holl took a penalty for cross-checking. Once again, the Canadiens struggled badly with the man advantage. They had six minutes of power-play time in the first period and did not register one shot on goal.

Alex Burrows has a paper thin coaching resume. Dominique Ducharme is in way over his head. And Bergevin can’t deliver a contender despite being handed one of the best players in the game the moment the GM walked into the Bell Centre.

Price has provided some of the best goaltending performances ever seen, in addition to superb leadership for his teammates. Montreal fans are craving for a general manager and coaching staff who are even modestly competent at their jobs rather than ones that just check a box in the mother tongue category. Their patience has been exhausted.

Up Next

Plus

Minus

Game Preview