Montreal 1 Pittsburgh 3 (Bell Centre)
posted by Rocket
AllHabs.blogspot.com
Prior to the game, I was asked for my expectations. With respect to Pittsburgh, I felt that the Penguins had more to play for including home ice advantage and individual statistics for Evgeni Malkin.
I was worried about a letdown for the Habs after the Bruins game which was both physical and emotional.
I take no joy in being correct tonight. And I didn’t imagine the marked disparity in play between the two teams.
The Canadiens were outshot 34-to-13 in the first 40 minutes of the game. The Habs’ players really didn’t seem to have their heads in the game. Yet the score was tied 1-1.
It was due to a very special night of goaltending by Carey Price. He was simply superb! In the second period, Price made two unbelievable saves on Matt Cooke and later on Bill Guerin. Price’s lateral quickness was amazing. The Bell Centre faithful chanted Ca-Rey! Ca-Rey!
Price’s play held the Canadiens in the game until they woke up in the third period.
The Habs did have scoring opportunities in the third but couldn’t bury their chances. Georges Laraque was used on the power-play and with his stone hands couldn’t put rebounds past Fleury. Laraque’s ineptness as a scorer may be understandable but Maxim Lapierre had similar problems connecting on numerous chances he had from short range.
The Canadiens power-play looked disorganized and was ineffective. They were 0-for-3 on the night and gave up three 2-on-1 breaks to Penguins penalty-killers. Worst of all, the power-play allowed two short-handed goals, on the same Habs power-play!
The Canadiens defense looked disinterested.
What was Roman Hamrlik doing roaming high, and leaving Malkin all alone on the Penguins first goal? Price made a good save on Malkin’s tip of the point shot. But Malkin shouldn’t be given a second chance to score on the rebound.
Mike Komisarek had eight giveaways; Mathieu Dandenault had five and Josh Gorges had three.
Some commentators worried about Yannick Weber being able to cope with physical play. Weber’s two hits were more than Hamrlik, Georges, Dandenault, and Schneider.
Bob Gainey made the understatement of the year when he said his team suffered from a “lack of sharpness.”
The only thing remembered from this game should be the stellar play of Carey Price. Bring on the Bruins!
Pre-game
Starting lineup: Metropolit, Higgins, Kovalev, Dandenault, Gorges
Carey Price and Marc-Andre Fleury started in goal.
O’Byrne, Brisebois and Tanguay were scratched from the line-up. Sergei Kostitsyn, and Markov were out with injuries. Bouillon and Lang are on injured reserve.
Lines:
Metropolit-Higgins-Kovalev
Plekanec-Andrei Kostitsyn-D’Agostini
Koivu-Stewart-Laraque
Lapierre-Latendresse-Kostopoulos
Defense:
Hamrlik-Komisarek
Schneider-Weber
Gorges-Dandenault
Rocket’s three stars:
1. Carey Price
2. Pascal Dupuis
3. Kristopher Letang
(photo credit:AP)
Myeeh…maybe they get a better draft pick this way. Besides, I want the Bruins in round 1. I do not like them at all.
Love to see the Habs land Landon Ferraro in June, he is rated around where they will pick in all likelyhood, and the kid would be an absolute steal if they got him there. He is a better prospect than Carey Price was in 2005.
If I’m not mistaken, the team won just 6 of 16 games under Gainey. DON’T GIVE UP YOUR DAY JOB, BOB.
LOL on the “BRUINS”….Bahstahn knows it’s hockey team by the MISSPELT FRENCH word for (BROWN) bear. Dumb potato famine refugees, at least get it right and call them “BRUNS”.
Or maybe the brown refers to the color of the TURDS they are.
Rob, I’m going to ignore two of your comments and address the one with substance.
Landon Ferraro (son of Ray) would make a good choice for the Canadiens. He is a speedy center who played for Red Deer.
But for size, scoring touch, and a more complete player down the middle, I hope that the Habs take Peter Holland from Guelph.
I’ll just note that the first discussion about 2009 Habs draft picks came after the last game of the season, and more than 2 months in advance of the draft. :)
Doubt Boston was trying to appease the Quebecois on that one. A bruin is a pretty wild European bear (Eurasia actually). The word is old English for brown and has long been their slang for bear. (Brit Lit for $500 Alex?) It’s not all about the French in some countries buddy. Go Habs Go, just leave the picnic baskets at home. This ain’t gonna be a walk in the park!
Does the “Auld English brown bear” crap in the woods? No, he does it in that slush filled shoe box they call the Bahstan Gahhhhdens.
An arena that is to a real NHL rink as some 3 putt mini golf off ramp tourist trap is to Augusta.
As for Landon Ferraro, he is at least the third best player available in the draft. His dad, Ray, probably had him step off the gas a bit in his draft season, since the only differenc in being one of the top NHL Entry Draft picks is that the pressure is greater. They don’t get any more or less money when they eventually sign, and the very top picks end up on disfunctional franchises. Ray Ferraro himself was a fourth round pick I beleive, and he did all right for himself as an NHLer.
Mailed or not, they got a stack of video to work off of now. Whatever happens in the playoffs, happens. To be in the playoffs after losing so many players to injury, sickness, or whatever and to have never been out of the bracket all year is an achievement on it’s own. To be there with a team of barely sophomores/rookies/and on-off veterans is great on itself. Here’s hoping Markov comes back soon.
Habs/Bruins in Spring… It’s probably the only consistency we’ve got!
Rocket! 1st off congrats on the Playoff berth as it would have been a shame not to have the Habs at least in the post season for at least a few games :-0!
Anyway hoping we could get together and have you and our bombastic but “lovable” guy Kynch to swap series preview stories on each others blogs prior to Thursday’s Game #1…? Thoughts?
also if there’s a chance you or any of the crew are coming down to Boston for a game or two please let me know ASAP so we can meet up for a light hearted, pint or three!
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